A Step Into Pretence
by StrawBerryFlutterBy
Summary: Lady Kuchiki is arranged to marry the King of Camelot, Kaien Shiba. Kaien on the other hand, has other plans, and sends his best knight, Ichigo Kurosaki to go and meet her and report back to him. Will Rukia fall for the man she thinks Ichigo is? AU
1. Pretence

**Hi all! **

**So here is a new and improved version of **_**A Step Into Pretence.**_** It's still the same story with the same characters… I just shook it up a bit. I am thinking of changing the background to that of a Japanese one, but it would mean that there are no longer knights, kings, dukes, chambermaids etc. Instead we'll have emperors and samurais. It'll work, but it'll be a lot of work for me and I'll need a good few days to do it. At the moment I have half a day here and half a day there. BUT, let me know if you guys would like me to do it. **

**I also feel the need to say that I have no idea what is happening in the Bleach universe at this current moment in time. I have not read or watched the manga/anime in over a year and a half. If there are any inconsistencies, or something major that I perhaps need to know, please feel free to send me a private message and tell me! **

**Please enjoy my story and feel free to let me know what you think. I appreciate constructive criticism and would like to know how and where I could improve my story or my writing. Please drop me a review, or a private message.**

**Have fun!**

**~Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.**

* * *

_**Chapter 1 – Pretence**_

The King was walking through the lush palace gardens when he called for Ichigo. The knight had no idea why the king wanted to speak with him. The orange haired man made his way to the roses, where Kaien was inspecting the bright yellow blossoms, flicking at bees every so often.

"You called, Kaien?" Ichigo asked with furrowed brows. Kaien looked at him amused. He had never been able to comprehend why Ichigo insistently called him by his first name, but he secretly liked it. He had never really warmed up to the formalities of being king.

"I need you to do something for me, Kurosaki." Kaien said, his feet moving down the path towards the fountain. Ichigo lifted his one eyebrow and scrutinized the dark haired man. He nodded once, but the scowl didn't retreat. He was independent, but he respected the King. Kaien was probably the only person Ichigo looked up to.

"We are on the brink of a war, and in order to prevent masses of bloodshed, Camelot needs to unite with at least one of the surrounding minor kingdoms. Lancaster is at the top of the list, since our forces seem to be of more or less equal strength. I have considered every plausible way of approaching this union and it seems as if the best option will be a union through marriage," Kaien explained. His eyebrows twisted and furrowed, mirroring the expression already plastered on Ichigo's face. Ichigo considered the king's words and shrugged when Kaien wasn't looking.

"The Count of Lancaster has a younger sister," Kaien said vaguely. This didn't mean anything to Ichigo, so he just kept quiet and followed the king.

"The count has informed me that she is willing to, through marriage, symbolise a long and peaceful union between our two Kingdoms. Since I do not have a son, or an heir, it is my duty as the King to do what is in the best interest of my kingdom, and marry the Count's sister," the king continued, and Ichigo wondered what his role was in all of this. He was just about to ask, but Kaien was one step ahead of him.

"I don't know what this girl is like, but I want to find out. Some also refer to her as the 'Ice Princess'. I don't know whether it is a reference to her personality or to her appearance, but I want you to find out for me."

Ichigo stopped in his tracks. He was confused and didn't know what to think. Kaien turned towards him and for a moment, accept for the subtly different shape of the king's nose and their age difference, the king and his best knight looked like twins.

"I need you to pretend to be me, Ichigo," Kaien finally reached the point. He looked at the orange haired man, who stared at him in disbelief.

"Why?" Ichigo asked, still shocked by the king's words. Kaien seemed to ponder this for a moment, then replied with a smile, "I trust you, you imbecile. And besides, if I'm going to marry her, I at least want to know what she's like."

Ichigo still didn't understand completely and scratched the back of his head.

"Why don't _you_ just get to know her?" He asked Kaien, uncertainty still tainting the expression on his young face. The king shrugged, and it seemed that he had made up his mind. Something about the request struck Ichigo as strange, but he couldn't quite put his finger on why. It seemed to Ichigo that the king had no intention of ever meeting this girl, nevertheless marrying her. It was also in Ichigo's nature to question everything the king did, making Kaien rethink all important decisions from another angle. It was his ability to see things from a different perspective that had earned him the title of the king's best knight.

Somehow, though, Ichigo didn't want to question Kaien this time. It seemed as if the king knew exactly what he wanted to do and what was supposed to happen. Ichigo knew that even if he questioned it, he would still find himself in Lancaster, meeting the count's younger sister on behalf of the king.

"What do I need to do?" Ichigo asked. Kaien grinned at him mischievously.

"I have arranged to meet with Lady Kuchiki tomorrow. I have agreed to stay in her kingdom for a so called, 'courting period'," he said. "You will present yourself as me, and when that time period is up, you will report back to me on what she is like and whether our union will be successful and worth it." Ichigo eyes grew in surprise and scepticism. He didn't want to impersonate anyone, never mind a king.

"Will the Count not know I am not the king of Camelot?" The younger man asked, running his hand through his orange mane. The king laughed and shook his head.

"Ichigo, I have never met the man nor has he ever seen what I look like. We communicated through letters." Kaien's eyes twinkled with amusement and the dark haired king held out his hand. Ichigo looked at the hand and back at Kaien's face.

"How long is this courting period?" He asks. Kaien then proceeded to tell him that it would be no longer than two weeks. Ichigo nodded and took the king's hand. In one swift motion, Ichigo agreed to do what the king had asked of him. Later, he would look back at that moment and scold himself for saying yes.

"Two weeks? That's it? Then I can go back to being Ichigo?" the knight asked. Kaien nodded and smiled at Ichigo.

"Thank you Kurosaki," he added as a kind of afterthought and turned to walk back to the palace.

"You are going to regret this, Ichigo," Ichigo chided himself as he headed in the opposite direction.

* * *

_**Meanwhile in Lancaster… **_

Rukia hurried to her brother's chambers. Her feet carried her forward, and she didn't think about why she had to get there, just that she had to. When she stopped in front of the big oak door that opened into Byakuya's quarters, she was out of breath. Her small chest heaved as her lungs sucked the air up and let it out in an attempt to regain a slower, rhythmic pace. This gave her a moment to consider why she was called there. Her brother's guard had said it was of utmost importance and that she should report to him as soon as possible. Now that she found herself in front of his door, she couldn't bring herself to lift her hand and knock. Momentarily she struggled to compose herself, eventually worked up the courage to swiftly rap on the door three times. What if something bad had happened? What if the war which the knight spoke of in soft whispers had finally begun? What if…

Before the petite young lady could think up any other disastrous reason for her summoning, the door swung open. Her brother stood before her, his advisor Sui-Feng at his side. Rukia bowed quickly and looked up into his face. He was as serious as ever as he met her eyes. She didn't address or greet the black haired girl next to her brother, and Sui-Feng returned the favour.

"Brother?" Rukia said, searching her brother's eyes. He nodded slightly and walked back into his room. Rukia followed close behind him and sat in the chair opposite the royal blue armchair which her brother favoured. He dismissed Sui-Feng and faced his younger sister.

She sat in stiff silence, waiting for Byakuya to occupy the seat opposite her. When he finally did, he observed her for a long moment. The raven haired girl's heart beat in her throat, but she kept her pose as he studied her.

"Rukia, after long consideration and thought, a decision has been made on uniting the kingdom of Camelot with that of ours," he told her in his cold, emotionless way. The younger Kuchiki sibling nodded and waited for her brother to continue.

"I have agreed to this union as it is the only option that allows both kingdoms gain. The union involves no violence and will link Lancaster with Camelot indefinitely." Rukia waited in anticipation. She had the feeling that what she was about to hear was about to have as much of an impact on her as uniting the kingdoms will have in an oncoming war.

"You are to marry the king of Camelot, Kaien Shiba and unite our kingdoms," Byakuya told her. Her blood ran cold. Her heart, which had hammered away in her chest a moment ago, had ceased to beat for a few seconds. Her empty stomach seemed to do a backwards flip and she bit down on her tongue in an attempt to not move. The metallic taste of blood overwhelmed her. She closed her eyes briefly, trying to lull her body out of the shock. However, the dread that filled her didn't go away, so she opened her eyes again.

She wanted to protest and scream and shout. She wanted to throw things around and hate her brother, but she knew he was doing what was best for his kingdom. She bottled her feelings, closing the lid of the jar in her mind and pointedly kept her face in a smooth, expressionless mask. She nodded slowly and folded her hands in her lap in an attempt to hide how violently they were shaking. When she spoke, her voice was soft.

"I understand," she said and looked at him calmly. Byakuya studied her face again, no doubt looking for a weakness. A crack in the wall… Well damn it. She wasn't going to show an inch of the fear and anxiety that had settled on her heart like snow. If it meant that she had to spend the rest of her life with someone whom she doesn't love, well so be it, but she would_ never _show any sign of weakness or unhappiness.

"The king will arrive in time for the midday meal tomorrow," her brother replied, obviously satisfied with the fact that Rukia didn't protest. "You will spend the next two weeks with him. He will court you and you will marry at the end of this period, if he finds you satisfactory."

Rukia nodded again. She could feel the weight of the situation pulling her down, down, down… further into an abyss that had no end. She knew that if at the end of those two weeks, the king didn't want to marry her, it would be her fault. She would be the reason why Lancaster couldn't unite with Camelot on peaceful terms.

Byakuya stood, and Rukia followed him. He escorted her to the door, and with a final click, she was alone in the hallway. She picked up her dress so it wouldn't drag on the floor, and walked to her room, her face composed and stiff.

She sat at the window, staring out at the green lawns and forest beyond for an incalculable amount of time. She wasn't hungry and she wasn't tired. Despite its previous melt down, her body was numb and devoid of all emotion. She sat completely still, not daring to move. She knew that if she did, her body would rebel and she would feel the water crushing down on her again. She didn't want to feel anything, but she did anyway. She felt hatred towards the man she would be marrying. She felt betrayed by her brother, who didn't even ask her opinion on the matter. She couldn't cry though. Crying was a sign of weakness, and Rukia Kuchiki wasn't weak.

A few hours later, she was in the same position by the window. She hugged her legs to her chest and rested her head on her knees. Her whole body was stiff; pins and needles stinging her everywhere. She didn't care. She still didn't move. There was a soft knock on the door and when Rukia didn't answer, it opened.

"M'lady? Dinner is served," Hinamori said softly. Rukia didn't respond and the small girl walked up to her. She put a hand on her Lady's shoulder, but Rukia still didn't move. Hinamori was Rukia's chambermaid, but she was more of a friend to Rukia than a maid.

"What's the matter?" she asked informally when she saw that the Kuchiki princess wasn't going to answer. When she got no response, she pulled Rukia's arm.  
"Rukia, snap out of it!" Hinamori said. She barely ever called the Lady by her first name, but it brought Rukia back to reality. She tried to keep a straight face as she looked at her chambermaid, but it didn't work, and she revealed pain and helplessness through wide violet eyes. She felt exposed and smiled at Hinamori weakly, trying to cover up the swirl of emotions visible through the tiny creases next to her mouth.

"I heard about the wedding…" She said, trying to calm Rukia down. "Perhaps he is magnificent." Momo smiled and put her hand on Rukia's. The Ice Princess wasn't really one for affection, but Hinamori's hand comforted her.

"Perhaps you will fall in love at first sight!" She laughed delighted, and clasped her hands together in front of her. Rukia couldn't help but mirror her smile. _Maybe she is right_, Rukia told herself and stood up. She didn't feel numb anymore, and her brain was scurrying about, trying to imagine what her new husband was going to be like. She had no clue what to expect, but from the grapevine and the gossip around the palace, she knew that he was quite handsome. She still wasn't thrilled about the idea of having to marry him, but she knew she would have to grin and bear it.

"Dinner m'lady?" Hinamori asked enthusiastically. Rukia's stomach grumbled and she nodded, smiling. Despite the dread, she felt a bit better and well enough to go to dinner. They made their way down to the dining hall. The raven haired girl joined her brother at the table.

After dinner, the Ice Princess retired to bed. She couldn't sleep though, and rolled around uncomfortably. She was worrying about the kingdom, even though her brother excluded her when it came to serious political decisions, and she worried about herself. She had feared the unknown, and what was scheduled to happen tomorrow, definitely had her quite spooked. She tried to suppress her thoughts, but the loud ones reached her anyway. _What if he hates me? What if this becomes a war and it's my fault? What do I do?_

She shuddered and her brain finally pummelled into a deep sleep.

* * *

**There you are! **

**I hope you enjoyed my first chapter! This story has been edited quite a bit, so it might differ slightly from the first publishing. I hope you all enjoy it. **

**Please review and let me know what you think? I feed off feedback so feel free! **


	2. The King and All of His Men

**Dear reader**

**Here is the second instalment in my story **_**A Step Into Pretence**_**. I hope you all like it. Please let me know what you think?**

**~Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.**

**Well you can ﬁght it but you know that you won't get your way in the end****  
Too many people, the King and all of his men  
****And if you're dealing a line of cards****  
Won't you take me to the queen of hearts?****  
And if you're trying to tear down what you see****  
Pack up the stars before you come for me  
****And if you're dealing a line of fate  
****Who's going to tell her the reason I'm late?  
****  
You took her soul, so incomplete  
****Why don't you stop ﬁghting me?****  
You're in control so why should you be****  
Fighting me? Fighting me? Fighting me?**

**How to be sure that what you say is the truth  
****When I see ﬂaws in everything that you do?  
****And if I'm passing a sentence on you**

**I would give you the crown for a fool****  
And now you've lost, there's nothing left to defend  
****You came so close to the King and all of his men****  
And if you're dealing in a trick of the light  
****I need to see her face for one last time**

**~The King and All of His Men, by Wolf Gang**

* * *

**Chapter 2 – The King and All of His Men**

Rukia woke up to the sound of a trumpet blaring. She groaned and slammed her feather pillow over her ear, trying to block out the piercing noise. Her attempt to block out the sound failed though, and she sat up in a huff. She was having such a lovely dream about rabbits. She sighed and threw her legs off the bed. She knew what that specific order of notes meant; _prepare the city for a royal visitor…_ She could practically hear her brother's calm voice breathe the command.

There was a stream of sunshine peaking through the heavy drapes in front of her window and she got to move them out of the way. Light flooded Rukia's massive bedroom and she blinked, trying to attune her eyes. There was a soft knock on the door.

"Yes?" She asked informally and walked over to her dresser. She suppressed the urge to giggle when she saw her hair, and instead turned her face towards the door. She expected to see Hinamori with tea, but disappointment clouded her thoughts when her eyes found Sui-Feng standing on the threshold. Rukia cleared her throat and folded her hands in front of her.

"Your brother requires a word," she said. Her sentence was short and clipped. Rukia and Sui-Feng didn't always see eye to eye, but they held no grudges against one another. They saw no reason to speak to each other unless it was needed. Rukia nodded courtly and watched the other woman leave. She sighed again and looked back at her reflection in the mirror. Her black hair stood up in all the wrong places and she had a dent in the left side of her hair where she had slept on it. Hinamori was the next person to knock on the door, informing Rukia that her bath was ready.

* * *

"Where is Zangetsu?" Ichigo said with his hands on his hips. He was scanning the crowd, looking for Hanataro. The boy had run off, promising him he would go and fetch his horse. That had been quite long ago. The orange haired man huffed and slouched in exasperation. People around him were yelling, packing things into carts and attending horses. A group of Kaien's knights stood around a small makeshift table. On the table stood a wooden pitcher with either water or wine in it, Ichigo wasn't sure which it was.

They were laughing and enjoying a moment of rest. It was hot and humid and sweat had already popped out on Ichigo's brow. It was still early in the morning, but he knew it would get worse.

"Excuse me… Sorry, excuse me! Move!" A voice came from Ichigo's left. A small boy with black hair pushed through the people. In his hands were reigns, and Ichigo brightened up considerably when he saw Zangetsu being led towards him.

"Finally." He breathed and plucked the horse's reigns out of Hanatoro's hand. The boy breathed heavily and smiled up at Ichigo. The knight flashed him a small smile and nodded in gratitude.

"Hello there…" Ichigo said, facing his horse. He stroked the side of the black stallion's neck and smiled a little bit wider.

Someone next to Ichigo cleared his throat. When he turned, he faced the king. They were dressed in a very similar manner; leather breeches and a cotton shirt, an under jacket and leather boots. They stood for a moment, regarding each other. The king was the first to smile. He shook Ichigo's hand and watched as the younger man hooked his foot into the stirrup and hopped onto his horse. When Ichigo nodded to him, Kaien placed his fingers between his lips and let out a very loud whistle. It looked liked the entire Kingdom came to a standstill as everyone stopped to look at their king. He motioned towards the group of knights who were still standing around the table.

"Hitsugaya, Ishida, Abarai, Nishio… Are your rides ready?" Kaien asked and raised his eyebrows. The four whose names he had called, seemed to mumble a joint apology and ran off in the general direction of the stables. Now Ichigo was almost sure that it had been wine in that pitcher, as nothing else would keep Abarai and Nishio from forgetting that they had a job to do.

Ichigo huffed in irritation at the four knights who were to accompany him to Lancaster. Kaien just chuckled and shook his head.

"So how do you feel Kurosaki?" He asked, his eyes bright with amusement. Ichigo shrugged, but gripped Zangetsu's reign's tighter. His knuckles were white and his teeth were clenched. Ichigo made sure that the king wouldn't notice. He didn't want Kaien to know that he didn't want to do what was expected of him. He didn't want to meet the Count or his sister. He didn't want to pretend to be Kaien. He didn't want to pretend to care about someone whom he will never feel anything for.

_What if something really bad happens… This could go horribly wrong,_ Ichigo thought. He shook his head and kept his brow furrowed. No conscious effort needed to be made to keep his eyebrows together. They contracted automatically.

A little while later, four horses came galloping towards Ichigo. The horse that became visible first was snow white, carrying Toshiro on its back. He second horse was charcoal grey and had Uryuu sitting at the reigns. A sandy blond mare had Yukata on her back. Renji sat on the fourth horse and Ichigo couldn't help but notice that the stallion's colour, matched the colour of Renji's hair. It wasn't the first time Ichigo had seen Renji with his horse, and he had teased the knight about their matching manes on many occasions. Today, Ichigo just rolled his eyes.

He clicked his tongue and his horse started moving forward. He nodded in Kaien's direction one more time, and turned Zangetsu towards the road. He knew that he would be followed by four horses and two carts. The knights Kaien had assigned to him were for protection and company, and the carts bore their belongings and clothes. His sister, Yuzu, had made sure that he had enough clothes for two and a half weeks. She had said that she packed extra clothes, just in case they had to stay for longer than they had planned.

He sighed when he thought of his sisters. They would be alone with his weirdo of a father for these two weeks, and he could only hope that they would still be sane by the end of it.

"Hey Ichigo," he heard someone call. Ichigo sighed and turned around to see who had spoken. Uryuu pushed his spectacles back and blinked. "You don't have to ride so far away from us you know?" He said and lifted his one eyebrow.

Ichigo tugged on Zangetsu's reigns and the horse slowed down. The others caught up to him easily and trotted along next to him. They made small talk for an hour and a half until the first silence fell.

After a brief silent interval laughter erupted from Toshiro, Yutaka and Uryuu when Renji claimed that he had to 'drain the main vain.'

He studied the four men with him. He had known Toshiro, Uryuu and Renji since he was much younger, but the dark haired Yutaka had only recently acquired his knighthood. Ichigo had spoken to him a few times, before, though. He looked young and fragile and it didn't even look like he could hold a sword, never mind use one.

Ichigo shook his head at Renji and had to suppress a small laugh. The red head had no idea why they were laughing, and walked off into the dense forest scratching his head. This lead to another burst of laughter from the others.

When Renji returned, the five men and those driving the carts had a drink of water before heading off again. They had four more hours to go and Ichigo didn't know if he would make it without an anxiety attack.

* * *

"Rukia?" Byakuya asked when there was a soft knock on the library door. He was sitting at the desk; his head bent low over some paperwork that needed finishing.

"Brother?" A small voice said from the door. Rukia entered the room and closed the door behind her. Her hair was still wet and she was wearing a clean royal purple gown that made her eyes stand out. Byakuya cleared his throat and stood. She walked to the desk and bowed, her one hand holding her dress. He nodded and they both sat down. Rukia had no idea why it always had to be so formal with her brother, but she respected it.

"There are a few things I need to tell you before you meet King Shiba," Byakuya said and looked at Rukia pointedly. Her mouth was dry and she tried not to hyperventilate at the mention of her future husband's name. Again, fear welled up in her throat.

"You will not be rude to him or any of the knights who are accompanying him," he said. Rukia bit down on her tongue.

"You are to treat him with respect and admiration," Byakuya said emotionlessly. Rukia nodded promptly after each sentence.

She was scared out of her wits. She knew that she was entering an entirely new stage of her life and she wasn't so sure if it was a good one.

When she left the library, her hair was dry and her thoughts were scattered. She had been given so many orders and suggestions on how to behave around the King of Camelot, that her ears felt as if they were about to burst. When she turned the corner to go outside and get some fresh air, she slammed into a big, broad chest. She stepped away immediately and rubbed her nose. It had squished a bit when she ran into the almost-wall.

"You okay m'lady?" a deep voice asked. Rukia blushed and closed her eyes. She smiled.

"Ruki!" A young child-like voice erupted out of nowhere. Rukia opened her eyes and looked up into Kenpachi's face. A head of pink hair peeked over his shoulder. Yachiru smiled broadly at Rukia and the black haired girl smiled back. She apologized for running into them, and they waved her off, saying that it was no problem and that she should stop worrying so much.

She bowed and left them in the hallway. The small girl walked around in the garden trying to gather her thoughts. After a while, she went and sat under the Sakura tree. She hadn't realised she was asleep until a loud gong vibrated through the air. She rubbed her eyes and sat up from the grass. It took her a moment to look at the sky and register what time it was, but when it hit her, she stood up so fast that her head started spinning and her vision blurred. Her stomach turned as she slowly walked back through the castle to the front entrance. When she passed a mirror, she glanced at herself. She quickly smoothed down her dress and glanced at her hair. She was surprised. For the first time in months, her hair looked almost perfect. She smiled weakly at her reflection, then took a deep breath and spoke to it.

"You can do this Rukia," she whispered, and she could've sworn the light in her eyes twinkled at the reassurance. She put on a courteous smile and walked to the door. Finally, the full impact of the gong sounded in her ears. _He's here._

* * *

The castle was massive. Unlike Camelot where the citadel stood in the middle of the city, Lancaster castle stood in front of the city, seemingly guarding as well as looking down on the city. Renji gaped at it, not bothering to hide his surprise. Ichigo shoved his shoulder and Renji's jaw snapped shut. Ichigo couldn't help but wonder how they had built such a large structure… Even Camelot's castle wasn't that big. In comparison to Lancaster, Camelot was a town and the king's castle was an average sized home.

Before they arrived, Ichigo had to remind the four knights and the servants driving the carts, that it could be fatal if they accidently referred to him as Ichigo, and not Kaien. To his relief, they understood the consequences. He did not want his king's plan to fall to pieces.

He exhaled through his mouth and shut his eyes. This was it.

He dismounted Zangetsu and motioned for his accomplices to do the same. They did so, and without another word, they fell in next to the orange haired man as they would have done with the King. The big oak doors opened and on the steps, stood a man with long black hair. He wasn't skinny or built specifically big, but Ichigo could see that he was a fighter.

A thousand thoughts were running through his head, but a single question surfaced; _what would Kaien do?_ Ichigo scratched the back of his head and tried his best to smile. It came out a bit crooked, but no one could tell that it wasn't real. The man descended the steps and every move he made was graceful. Ichigo wasn't sure what to do, so he too stepped forward. They met each other half way and both Ichigo and Byakuya bowed.

"Your Highness," Byakuya acknowledged Ichigo. It felt strange to hear someone address him as 'your highness'.

"My lord," Ichigo replied. He searched the dark haired man's face for any sign of emotion. He came up blank. A lady stood a little behind the count and he turned to her.

"This is Sui-Feng, my advisor," Byakuya elaborated. Ichigo nodded and turned to his company.

"This is Toshiro Hitsugaya, Uryuu Ishida, Renji Abarai and Yukata Nishio," Ichigo pointed to each in turn and when their name was called, they bowed. He could feel the tension in the air and he was sure that he was the main source of it. He could feel stress and anxiety rolling off of him in waves, and he wasn't sure if it was the man standing before him, or the anticipation of meeting his King's future wife. Byakuya pointed to someone behind him and three men walked up to the five horses. Ichigo took one last look at Zangetsu before his horse disappeared behind the left wall of the castle. Byakuya nodded slightly in Sui-Feng's direction and the woman walked back into the castle. Ichigo could see the staff gathered on the inside of the door, watching him in anticipation. He cleared his throat and Toshiro appeared at his side. The silver haired man stood on his toes and whispered into Ichigo's ear, "Keep it together."

The three words sounded like a meaningless encouragement, but Ichigo knew what he was trying to say. Toshiro was right, of course, and as soon as he stepped away, Ichigo bit the inside of his cheek and stood up straight.

"Your majesty, King Kaien Shiba, I present to you, my sister; Lady Rukia Kuchiki," Byakuya said formally. Ichigo rolled his eyes internally and kept looking at the door.

She stepped out of the shadow with the same amount of grace that her brother had walked with. Ichigo held his breath.

She looked at her feet for a second, gathering herself, then looked up into his face. There was only so much she could do not to laugh. The man standing before her had the brightest hair that she had ever seen. She assumed that he was trying to look serious, but with those furrowed brows and turned down mouth, he did look quite funny. She smiled lightly and picked up her gown on the one side so it would not drag on the floor.

She walked right up to him and looked up into his face. She could see that his eyes were a warm honey brown.

The girl was extremely short. She was a midget compared to him, and he would bet three pints on being able to easily snap her like a twig. She was wearing a dark purple dress, which she clutched so tightly he was afraid the fabric might rip. Her hair was as black as the night and was cut in layers that fell softly next to her face. There was a piece of hair that hung between her eyes seemingly out of place, but it framed her small face perfectly. Her big eyes were pure violet and her skin was pale and delicate as porcelain. Ichigo blinked and looked down at her. He cursed internally and once again asked himself what Kaien would do. It was impulse, and he didn't know why, but he picked up her hand, brought it to his lips, and kissed it. It was such an un-Ichigo move that it baffled the four men behind him. Rukia blinked up at him, unsure about what to do. She settled for a curtsy and nodded to the tall man with the orange hair. Ichigo let go of her small hand and pressed his lips together into a thin line. Byakuya's voice cut through the silence, and Rukia and Ichigo both breathed a sigh of relief.

"Lunch will be served in the great hall in fifteen minutes. You are welcome to make yourselves at home first. Sui-Feng will show you to your rooms," he said and clasped his hands together behind his back. Ichigo was glad to follow Soi Fon into the castle, away from all the tension.

Fifteen minutes later, he sat on the bed in the middle of the big room and sighed. He wasn't sure if he acted accordingly and correctly. He had no time to worry about it. He took a deep breath and stood up to go to lunch. He swallowed once and thought: _Let the courting begin._

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter! **

**About the songs I quote: I feel that each chapter needs a sort of 'soundtrack'. I take my time and make sure I pick the song that suites the story and my feeling of the chapter. Feel free to go and listen to the song I picked. **

**Thanks for reading! Please review, follow and favourite! **


	3. She's a Little Bit Dangerous

**Hello all! **

**There are two reviews I would like to reply on:**

_**Darklover**_**: Thanks for checking up! I really wasn't sure which one to use! And you will have to excuse me... I read the manga in black and white and have only recently started watching the anime. I apologize profusely if I get some eye colours wrong! I think I'll look up a few pictures as well as refer to Bleach wiki. Thank you! I appreciate your help so much! :D**

_**Alyssa**_**: Hmmm... you're right! I hadn't realised that he had such a laid back attitude. I think it might be a flaw in my story… But I think he's supposed to be laid back… There is a greater purpose! Don't worry! **

**Enjoy this chapter guys! **

**~Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach!**

* * *

**Hey, where's your work? What's your game?**  
**I know your business but I don't know your name****…**

**Hold on tight, you know she's a little bit dangerous**  
**She's got what it takes to make ends meet**  
**The eyes of a lover that hit like heat**  
**You know she's a little bit dangerous****…**

**You turn around, so hot and dry**  
**You're hiding under a halo, your mouth is alive**  
**Get out of my way, get out of my sight**  
**I'm not attracted to go-go deeper tonight****…**

**~Dangerous, by Roxette**

* * *

**Chapter 3 ****–**** She's a little bit dangerous**

"Uhm... Ichigo?" A voice said from behind him. The orange haired man spun around and faced the person who had addressed him. He gave Renji a dirty look.

"Walls have ears you idiot!" Ichigo whispered frantically. He couldn't afford for anyone to hear Renji's slip up. Renji's eyes grew and Ichigo scoffed.

"What?" He asked rudely and crossed his arms.

"The servants never brought up our clothes and I need to change," he told Ichigo. The orange haired man looked at Renji indignantly and just rolled his eyes.

"I'm sure you can hold out a little bit longer," Ichigo said and started to walk towards the great hall. Renji grumbled for a moment then followed his friend down the hall.

The great hall, it turned out, was empty. Both men were slightly confused and Ichigo scratched the back of his head.

"Your majesty?" someone asked from the entrance. Ichigo turned around and saw Uryuu standing there, bowing slightly. "Count Kuchiki moved lunch to a more private setting and he would like you to join him and his sister."

Ichigo nodded his head slightly and when Uryuu turned around to walk away, both men followed him. Renji nudged Ichigo in the ribs as they walked up one of the many big staircases.

"She's not that bad," the big man said with a large grin.

"I bet she isn't..." Ichigo replied thoughtfully, not quite understanding Renji's train of thought. Maybe he could befriend her. She might really not be that bad. He was slightly relieved at the thought, but he was still a bit jittery. The room into which Uryuu led them was massive. It was set out as a dining room with a long table in the middle. The table looked like it could seat at least thirty people and Ichigo pretended not to be impressed.

"Please, sit," a light albeit deep feminine voice said. It was the first time Ichigo had heard Lady Kuchiki speak and the sound was new and strange to his ears. Her voice didn't suit her tiny body at all. He lifted his eyebrow and walked up to where they were sitting. The three men seated themselves at the table; Ichigo opposite Rukia, Renji next to Toshiro who sat next to Rukia and Uryuu next to Ichigo. Yukata was next to Uryuu and of course, Byakuya himself sat at the head of the table. For fifteen minutes, nobody spoke and everybody ate. Ichigo didn't want to be the one to break the silence and talk to the Lady Rukia. What would he say? When those silent moments were up, Rukia looked like she couldn't take it anymore. She looked at the man sitting in front of her and directed a question at him.

"So how do you like Lancaster thus far, your majesty?" She asked, her face showing nothing but interest. Ichigo almost spat his peas out when she spoke to him. He didn't however and choked them down, not even bothering to chew.

"It's very... big," he said, groping for an adequate word. He couldn't find one that would sum up exactly how he felt about Lancaster... Overwhelming, massive, extravagant, luxurious... There were many better words than big, and he said 'big'. Ichigo felt like kicking himself. Rukia's mouth twitched into a ghost of a smile for a second.

"I agree with you," she said and took a delicate bite of mashed potatoes. "You should see the gardens."

Ichigo nodded and smiled at her. Renji tried not to laugh at Ichigo's attempt at small talk.

"Well the castle is really huge, and so awesome," Renji butted in, trying to sound nonchalant. Ichigo felt his eye twitch, but the big pineapple head didn't see him. After Renji's remark the whole table became awkwardly silent again, but Yukata broke the tension by bursting out into loud chuckles. At first he was the only one laughing, but a little while after that, Rukia started to giggle. It was quite something to see the Ice Princess laugh and the melodious sound of her giggle had everyone but Ichigo and Byakuya laughing. The two of them sat there and observed.

It wasn't long until comfortable conversations started up all around the table. Ichigo kept his attention on Rukia and her brother. Rukia was talking to Uryuu, and included everyone in the conversation by asking questions and opinions. Byakuya even added a comment to the conversation, after his sister directly asked what his attitude was on having rabbits as pets. He said it was a ridiculous idea and Rukia frowned at his words.

Rukia had already planned out a space in the gardens for two white rabbits, and she was going to ask one of her brother's guards or hunters to go with her to find a rabbit hole. She wanted to pout, but she would never do so in front of her brother. She nodded her head slightly, and changed the course of the conversation. It was a very small sign, but Ichigo picked it up. He could see she was a little upset about the rabbit thing, but he didn't know what to do about it. In the end, he just decided to hold his tongue.

Lunch took forever, and after talking to the King's knights throughout it, Rukia was exhausted and intrigued. The King didn't say much during the afternoon meal, and like her brother, he only spoke when directly spoken to. Rukia found it interesting that he was so quiet and it made her want to find out why.

"Uhm... Your majesty?" Rukia asked as everyone left the table. Kaien's eyebrow shot up as the petite lady spoke to him.

"Would you like to see the gardens?" Rukia asked, not sure if it was such a good idea. Instead, the king surprised Rukia by saying yes.

"Sure. I really like roses..." he said. Rukia wanted to giggle.

Rukia nodded and folded her hands in front of her dress. She started walking towards the gardens, and before she left the room, she quickly glanced back at her brother. He was looking at her and when their eyes met, he nodded.

The king's mouth fell open at the sight of the gardens. The masses of green grass had a roll-in-it quality to it. Beautiful trees and flowers were planted in perfect formations and settings. It looked like something out of a fairy tale.

"Whoa," he breathed and looked at Rukia. She nodded and pursed her lips. She thought it was a bit much at times, but she appreciated the fact that if she went far enough, no one would go looking for her between the trees and flowers.

"It's a bit much, but it's lovely," Rukia said and walked down the path to her second favourite spot. The king followed her and didn't say a word. He still looked slightly upset, and Rukia wondered if he ever didn't look like he was agitated.

"Why don't you just stand up to your brother?" he asked suddenly. Rukia froze. It felt like she had just been slapped. "I mean, don't you think it'll be worth it? You might even get what you want sometimes," he continued. Rukia swirled around to face her future husband and narrowed her eyes dangerously.  
"My brother is a realistic and good person. He makes sure I get what I need. I don't need you to tell me that I should stand up to him," She hissed. She had no idea why she was so angry, but she hated it when someone said anything disrespectful about Byakuya…

* * *

Ichigo blinked a few times then burst out laughing. After a few chuckles he looked back at the raven haired girl in front of him. Her eyes threatened murder.

"Che... It's not like I'm wrong, and you know it," he said and crossed his arms over his chest. Rukia fumed.  
"You _idiot!_" She breathed and poked him in his chest. "You have no right to say any of those things!" Ichigo raised his eyebrows at her.

"Says who, Midget?" He replied with a smirk and had the satisfaction of seeing her big violet eyes twitch in anger.

"You fool! You dare call me short? You have orange hair!" She snapped and shoved her face right in front of his. "My brother is a much better man then you will ever be Kaien Shiba!"

A vein popped in Ichigo's head.

"Listen here you little brat!" Ichigo said loudly, wriggling his finger at her.

"Uhm... M'lady?" A voice said from the pathway. Both people preoccupied with the argument turned their heads in that direction. Rukia immediately straightened up and touched Ichigo's arm.

"Yes, Orihime?" She said with grace and a completely composed face. The red haired girl looked at Ichigo and paused momentarily.

"My Lord asks if you know where he had put his riding gloves," she asked, finally regaining herself. Rukia placed her hand on her temple and thought for a second.

"The last time I saw them was in the library," she said and looked at Orihime. She smiled at the girl and turned back to Ichigo.

"Would you like some tea my King?" She asked her and dug her fingernails into his arm inconspicuously. The man tried not to flinch at the sting, and kept a straight face. Ichigo was confused, but decided to play along as best he could. He hoped that if he did what she wanted him to, she would get annoyed, and for some reason he wanted to annoy her.

"That would be nice my dear," he said and put her hand on his arm to escort her back to the castle. His reaction surprised Rukia so much that she gaped at him.

"You look adorable when you do that," he said and flicked her on the nose for good measure. He could practically see her face twist and redden, but she kept up the show and smiled. They looked at each other, their eyes burning holes into one another's souls. To Orihime it looked like they were staring at each other. She gave the handsome King one last look then turned away from him. As she walked back to the castle, Orihime recalled the picture of the orange haired king in her head over, and over again.

* * *

They stood still, waiting for the handmaiden to disappear from view completely, and when she was gone, they jumped apart and glared at each other.

"You are such an imbecile!" Rukia hissed and narrowed her eyes at the king. He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.

"And you're a midget, so I guess we're even," he replied with a smirk. Anger boiled in Rukia's veins as she studied the man in front of her. He was agitating and frustrating and she had no idea how to handle him.

"You are idiotic and simple minded! I'm sure you became king as a practical joke!" She said and threw her hands up into the air. He looked at her, brows furrowed and came right up to her face.

"Oh yeah? Well you have to marry this idiotic, simple minded, pathetic king, midget," he said. Rukia couldn't breathe. His face was inches away from hers and she kept telling herself that it was anger that made her cheeks warm up.

* * *

Ichigo knew he shouldn't have pulled the 'I'm going to marry you' card, as he wasn't really the one who was going to marry her, but he couldn't help it. This girl would be the end of him. She was so stubborn and decisive and she frustrated him. He pulled back from the undeniable tension that hung in the air between them, and scratched the back of his head, satisfied. Rukia stared at him, her mouth hanging open. In that moment, something inside her seemed to snap.

"Do you think I want to marry you?" She hissed, and backed him up against a tree. "Do you think I even wanted to marry at all?" Ichigo blinked and cocked an eyebrow. He had to give it to her; she knew how to get to someone. He thought about Kaien and about the fact that he should make everything right with the Ice Princess, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. She was so frustratingly proud that it would be a useless action anyway.

"Che… Just wait till Byakuya hears that," Ichigo said with a smirk. He knew it was the end of the argument before she stepped away from him. His chest felt cool where Rukia's body heat was missing.

"Don't let me hear you speak disgracefully about my brother again. EVER." She warned and gave him a deadly look. After that, she picked up her dress and walked to the other side of the garden elegantly. Ichigo rolled his eyes and walked back in the direction of the castle.

* * *

Renji paced his room for the third time that minute. He worried about Ichigo and wondered where he was and if he was doing alright. A knock on the door pulled him out of his reverie and he raced to it, yanking it open. Yukata stood outside eyebrows raised. Renji released the breath he was holding and his shoulders slumped.

"Have you seen Ichi… the king?" Renji asked opening the door wider to let the dark haired man in.

"Well hello to you too," Yukata said and ran his hand through his hair. He looked miserable, but calmer than Renji. "And no, I haven't."

Renji swore and scratched his arm where it had started to itch.

"How do you think he's doing?" The black haired knight asked, genuinely worried. The red head wiped his hand over his face and shook his head. He had no idea what Ichigo was up to, but he prayed that everything was fine. Suddenly, another thought occurred to Renji.

"What do you think of Rukia?" He asked, trying to sound nonchalant. The other man shrugged and sat down on Renji's bed.  
"Don't you think she's… attractive?" He grabbed the right word out of the air and placed it in the sentence. He wasn't sure what it was, but there was something about the Lady Kuchiki that appealed to him. Yukata raised his right eyebrow and looked at the big man questioningly.

"She's not… really my type," he replied to the question. Yukata didn't look too comfortable and Renji wondered why.

"She's definitely my type," the red head mumbled, dismissing the thought. He laughed at Renji's words and just rolled his eyes. Then he got serious.  
"Just, stay out of it Renji," Yukata warned and gave him a look.

* * *

Ichigo walked through the gardens, glad that he had decided to not head back to the castle. He walked in the opposite direction of the one which Rukia took, not wanting to anger her any further. He sighed as he saw a bench on a quiet patch of grass, under a big oak tree. It was peaceful so he took a few minutes and closed his eyes, just feeling the breeze and smelling the freshly cut grass. It wasn't long before he got up and started walking back to the castle again. He wanted to see if Zangetsu was well looked after and got enough attention. His stallion was after all his pride and joy, having had him since he was a filly.

"Excuse me," he stopped a brown haired girl who was hurrying off somewhere. She paused and looked at him. Her eyes grew in size as she took him in and her eyebrows lifted.

"Yes, sir, may I be of assistance?" She asked, clutching the sheet she was carrying tightly to her chest. Ichigo nodded and smiled at her.

"Could you please point me in the direction of the stables? I would like to check on my horse," he said and scratched the back of his head. The girl nodded eagerly and put her sheet down on a wooden table. She grinned at him and Ichigo smiled back. Ichigo found her grin just slightly creepy, like she knew something he didn't.

She walked through the castle to another big door then opened it, revealing a small path between rows and rows of trees. It led into the forest as far as Ichigo could tell, but that didn't stop him from following the girl. She was quiet most of the time, walking next to him with a determined step.

"So are you one of the king's nights?" she asked after a few steps of silence. Ichigo was about to say yes, but caught himself. Instead, he looked at her and saw her looking back at him with interested brown eyes. Ichigo slowly shook his head, and looked in front of him, unsure of his step on the path. The girl's eyes widened in realization and she immediately stopped and sunk into a low bow.

"I… I'm so sorry your majesty. I hadn't realized…" she trailed off and looked up. Her face was bright red and she looked mortified. Ichigo waved a dismissive hand at her.

"It's no worry, really," he said and continued down the path. It took her a few seconds to catch up, and when she did, Ichigo saw that her face had returned to its natural state.

"I'm Momo Hinamori," she told him, and clasped her hands behind her back. She walked a bit ahead of Ichigo, showing him the way.

"Pleased to meet you," the substitute king said as he walked. He tried to be on his best behaviour, but he was getting tired of trying to be like Kaien. Ichigo knew he wasn't anything like the King, and the only person who was able to draw the real Ichigo out so far, was the Kuchiki Princess. The orange haired man huffed internally as he thought of her. She wasn't like anyone he had ever met before and he had no idea what to expect of these two weeks anymore.

Rather suddenly, Hinamori turned on the path and walked to the left. Ichigo hesitated for a split second before following her. The forest was silent, and there were no sounds apart from the birds singing in the trees, animals scurrying in the bushes and the crunch of two pairs of feet on the ground. Abruptly, the trees opened up before them. There was a large field to their right, and right next to them, to their left, was a big barn. The orange haired man sighed in relief as he walked behind Hinamori to the stables. She bowed to him at the door and said that she would wait for him to finish then take him back.

"That's all right," he replied, scratching the back of his head again. "I think I can find my way back." The girl hesitated, but then nodded, bowed again and left. Ichigo walked into the stables, glad that he was finally alone, and wondered over to the horses. There were more than thirty stalls, each with a big, healthy horse in it, and the substitute king couldn't help but stop at every stall, and look intently at every horse. He had never seen such a wide variety of colours in horses and it amazed him how well they were all trained. When he approached a stall, the horse in it would approach him and sniff his hand. If the horse was satisfied that Ichigo wasn't there to hurt him, he or she would stand perfectly still and allow the tall man to stroke its neck. Ichigo enjoyed himself immensely and repeated the proses with every single horse, starting at the beautiful snow white mare that had silver ribbons braided into her tail.

* * *

Rukia wondered around, still letting off steam. She had no idea where she was going, but a few minutes later, she found herself at the stables. In her haste about the king, she completely forgot about Shirayuki. Her horse was a little stuck up and needed to be brushed every day, so Rukia wasn't surprised that her feet had brought her here. The raven haired girl sighed and walked up to the door. Pushing it open ever so slightly, she paused. She could hear a voice in the stable, but she could tell there was only one person there. Rukia crouched, making sure her dress didn't fall into the dust, and peeked into the stable. She couldn't make out who the figure in front of her horse's stall was though. Her blood ran cold and her hands clenched into fists in her dress as she suspected the worst. Her heart pounded in her throat as she crawled into the stables and closer to the man standing in front of her horse. She could hear what he was saying now, and his voice was soothing and soft.

"There, that's nice," he said. "You are really beautiful." Rukia crouched behind a bale of hay and peeked over the top. The yellow, dried grass poked and prodded her small hands and fingers, but Rukia didn't even notice it. All her attention was with the man attending her horse. She knew who he was -it honestly wasn't really hard to tell with that orange hair- but what kept Rukia's eyes glued to him was the way her horse was responding to his touch. The white mare hated most people and sometimes didn't even allow Rukia to come near her, but this man, this annoying, frustrating man, held her horse's full attention. Shirayuki had put her head close to Kaien's face and he was stroking her neck delicately. Rukia stared at the soft exchange between horse and man and felt a pang of what she could identify as jealousy. She wasn't exactly sure whom she was jealous of, but nevertheless, the feeling was there. She also couldn't understand this other part of the king. How could someone treat an animal as if it were a human, but treat her with such disrespect as some people treated animals? Anger reddened Rukia's cheeks again as she continued to look at the handsome man in front of her. She blinked at the thought. _Handsome? Handsome? Seriously Rukia, just remember what he said to you… _

_But he's so attractive and gentle… _Another part of the raven haired girl's brain said. She shut her eyes and shook her head roughly. _Shut up! _She told herself and opened her eyes again. The king had moved to the next stall and was talking to her brother's stallion. The horse was just as stubborn and emotionless as her brother and Rukia snickered, thinking that the horse would probably reject Kaien as soon as he stuck his hand out.

"There," the orange haired man said softly, cooing to the horse. Rukia's mouth fell open when her brother's horse started moving forward hesitantly. There was a new found fondness in her heart, but she didn't want it there. When he moved to the third stall, Rukia had to adjust her position in order to keep watching him, and when she shifted her weight, her dress hooked onto a nail in the wood behind her. She tugged to get it loose, but her attempt just caused the piece of material to hook and loop onto the nail further. She gave one last pull and the result was not what she had hoped for. The sound of material ripping echoed in Rukia's ears and her head shot up, seeking the king's back. He hadn't heard… had he? She hoped not, but when she lifted her eyes to his face, it was turned in her direction. Rukia held her breath, not wanting one more noise to come from where she was sitting, concealed from those honey brown eyes. It seemed that fate hadn't heard her, for at that second, the petite young lady lost her balance and fell on the water bucket, soaking her legs and favourite, newly ripped, purple dress. Her heart froze as she heard the words she had been dreading to hear while watching the king.

"Hello? Who's there?"

Rukia's heart plummeted, and out of her mouth came the best swearword she knew, knowing very well that she had been caught.

* * *

**A million thanks to every person who reviewed this, added it as a favourite, or added it to their story alert list! Your support keeps me going! **

**I apologise if my characters are out of character. I'm still getting used to writing in an alternative universe. Let me know if a specific character is too different, and I'll do what I can to fix him/her! **

**Thank you all! Please review and let me know what you think. **


	4. Tiptoe

**Hello again all!**

**You will see that I have renamed my chapters and that I put some lyrics in each chapter now. Please go and check them out! **

**~Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or any of its characters.**

**Enjoy it!**

* * *

**In the morning light let my roots take flight  
Watch me fall above like a vicious dove  
They don't see me come, who can blame them?  
They never seem to catch my eye but I never wondered why**

**I won't fall asleep**  
**I won't fall asleep**

**Hey yeah, don't let 'em know we're coming**  
**Hey yeah, tiptoe higher**  
**Take some time to simmer down, keep your head down low**  
**Hey yeah, tiptoe higher…**

**~Tiptoe, by Imagine Dragons**

* * *

_**Chapter 4 - Tiptoe**_

Ichigo's eyebrows lifted as a small voice said a very colourful swearword from behind the bale of hay. _No…_ he thought and walked closer. _Would she really…?_ Apparently she would. As soon as the orange haired man approached the bale, a small, black haired lady shot up in a sudden burst of pride. Ichigo crossed his arms over his chest and looked at Rukia with a smirk.

"What are you doing?" He asked her rudely. She looked up at him with hard eyes and shoved her nose in the air.

"What? Am I not allowed to be in _my _stables?" She asked him sarcastically. Ichigo felt a vein pop in his head. He didn't say anything though.

The petite Kuchiki smirked and stuck out her tongue. Why she acted so childish around this man was completely beyond Rukia, but she paid it no mind and taunted him to her hearts content.

"Stupid Midget," he grumbled and turned back to the horses. Rukia narrowed her eyes and made sure she was holding her dress where it had ripped earlier, before curiously treading behind the orange haired king.

"What are you doing?" she asked. He rolled his eyes at her and scratched the back of his head in irritation.

"Can't a man tend to his horse in peace?" He mumbled as he approached the last stall. The sleek black stallion was standing to the side of the stall and looked almost peacful. Ichigo unhooked the latch and walked right on in. Zangetsu approached his owner with ease, and as the horse was stroked, he whinnied in pleasure. Rukia put her hands on the door of the stall, completely forgetting about the torn dress. Momentarily, Rukia forgot about the man who so aggravated her and turned all her attention to the beautiful creature in front of her. It was the tallest horse Rukia had ever seen and its colouring was out of this world. Every black horse that Rukia had ever seen had had other markings and colours, but this stallion was as black as the night. The raven haired girl didn't notice that her mouth was hanging open until the King shot her an amused look. She quickly shook her head and opened the door to follow him in. This time, Ichigo shot her an incredulous look and followed her with his eyes. She was hesitant at first, but when the horse didn't move, she took a few steps closer, reaching out to touch the animal.

"What's his name?" Rukia heard herself ask as she stroked the stallion's neck. She had to stand on her toes to reach.

* * *

"Zangetsu," he said and picked up a discarded brush. Slowly, Ichigo combed his horse's short hair out. Zangetsu, who wasn't used to females attention, was enjoying himself thoroughly, leaning into Rukia, bringing his head down so the short girl could reach him with ease. Ichigo smiled slightly as he watched Rukia speak to his horse.

"Wow, aren't you beautiful? I bet you are really fast…" She said in almost a whisper.

"Your highness?" She said and turned to Ichigo. The man blinked down at her.

"Call me I… Kaien," Ichigo said, catching himself before saying his real name.

"Kaien…" Rukia tried again, rolling the sound of his name around on her tongue, testing it before continuing with her original sentence. "I want to apologize about earlier."

Ichigo blinked, having already forgotten about what had happened earlier that day. He shook his head and looked into Rukia's big violet eyes. They were hypnotizing and all Ichigo could do was nod.

Rukia waited as Ichigo checked Zangestu's water and food. They left the barn at sunset. The light had turned a warm honey orange and the air felt pink, giving the world around them a blushed tinge. The couple walked back to the castle in a comfortable silence, and as the sky darkened, they reached the door that lead back into the big building.

"Yo! Kaien," a voice said as they entered the hall. Two heads whipped around to see who had spoken and Ichigo's eyes met Renji's, then Toshiro's. Renji was leaning against the wall, and looked like a father waiting for his miscreant of a son to come home. Toshiro's arms where crossed over his chest and he had a mischievous, amused glint in his eyes.

"What?" The king asked rudely. Renji chuckled and pushed away from the wall with his back.  
"Dinner is starting in about an hour," Toshiro said nonchalantly, which made Rukia moan. Three pairs of eyes drifted to her face. It shone with agitation. It didn't look like she felt like going to dinner at all. Suddenly, though, Renji lifted his fist to his mouth and bit down hard to keep from bursting out into fits of laughter.

"Well, if you will excuse me," Rukia said, picking up her dress. "I would like to go and ready myself for dinner." The three men watched her go and when he was sure she was out of earshot, Renji burst out laughing. Ichigo and Toshiro looked at him as if he was crazy and when he caught his breath again, he pointed to where Rukia had just walked off.

"Her dress is ripped…" He said. "Do you think she noticed?"

Ichigo blinked and realized that Renji was right. Walking behind her on the way back, he had glimpsed a flash of porcelain skin. Rukia's dress was indeed torn, which as a result, exposed her soft, creamy legs from just below her hip all the way down to her ankles. The substitute king hadn't said anything since he didn't really mind seeing the exposed skin. It was not normal for him not to mind, as he didn't like to see any girl naked. He proved that last year when his childhood friend had tried to seduce him by kissing him and ripping her own dress off for him. Ichigo had freaked out and yelled at her, and from then on, generally, girls and women have stayed away from him.

His laugh was gone and Renji had a very thoughtful look on his face.

"She does have nice legs though," the redhead mused before turning around to walk back to his room. Ichigo rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest again. Toshiro lifted his eyebrow and shook his head in Renji's direction.

"Think he will grow up?" Toshiro asked and stood next to Ichigo. The king shook his head and snorted.

"Nah, shorty… I think he's going to stay just the way he is," Toshiro fumed and Ichigo laughed.

"I told you, my name is Hitsugaya," he said through gritted teeth. Ichigo aimed a playful punch at the short man's shoulder, but Toshiro dodged it and punched the king in the gut. Robbed momentarily of air, Ichigo coughed and admitted that the silver haired mad had won that round. He nodded when he could stand up again. Toshiro grinned smugly. The orange haired man walked off to go and get ready for dinner. Toshiro followed him, but turned in a different direction.

* * *

Rukia threw her dress on the bed, looking at it with sorrow. It really was her favourite, and she hoped that the seamstress would be able to fix it. She sighed as she thought of how warm those honey brown eyes turned when he looked at this horse. Throwing a dirty pink dress over her head, Rukia wondered if he really was as bad as she had originally thought.

"Momo?" She called, knowing that her chambermaid was just outside the door. A soft knock confirmed her suspicions and the door swung open a few inches. Hinamori pressed her tiny body through the open door and smiled at Rukia. The raven haired girl smiled and turned her back to Hinamori, silently asking her friend to tighten the ribbon on her dress. She did so and Rukia bent over her dresser to make it easier.

"You know m'lady," Hinamori said as she pulled the dress's ribbon across Rukia's back. "I really think the king isn't so bad." Rukia only grunted in a very unlady-like way. She didn't know what to think of the man. He was infuriating, yet gentle and it was clear that he cared about his horse a great deal. Hinamori made a pretty bow at Rukia's lower back and patted her shoulder. Rukia sighed and moved her shoulders to make the dress more comfortable.

"We will have to see," She said and sat down in front of her dresser. Momo picked up the brush that Hisana had given her for her 11th nameday and started brushing Rukia's hair. The room was silent apart from the static sound of the brush being pulled through her black hair.

Rukia smiled as she looked at herself in the mirror. Hinamori had outdone herself. The top half of the girl's hair was tied up in a bun at the back of her head and it suited her. Momo smiled back at her and Rukia stood up, calculating that she didn't have very long before dinner starts. The petite girl slipped her feet into her favourite shoes, then ran down the stairs, shouting a thank you to her chambermaid.

After dinner, Rukia retired. She couldn't sleep though, and rolled around. She didn't know what was going on with her. She had never met someone who had made her as furious as this Kaien did, and she still wasn't sure how to handle him. He had a soft side, of that she was sure, but could it be that that soft side was so well hidden that it only came out around animals? Rukia sighed and rolled over once again. Silence had fallen on the castle a few hours ago and now, starting an old ritual once again, Rukia got up and softly padded over to her door. She hadn't wandered around at night since three years ago when her sister had died. It carried on for about five months, until the raven haired girl had made peace with the fact that she wasn't going to come back.

The door creaked open and the Kuchiki princess paused, listening. She didn't want to wake anyone up. When she was sure that the peace had not been disturbed, she left the door open, not wanting to make another noise and padded down the hall. A few torches lit the corners and Rukia followed them. She let her feet carry her, as she usually did, but she didn't end up where she normally did, which was the kitchen. No. By some strange trick of fate she had ended up in front of the room that her brother had given to the king. She should have turned around and walked back to her room, but something stopped her. She looked at the door again, and saw what it was that had made her pause. The king's door stood open slightly, inconspicuously. Rukia walked closer to the room without intending to do so. Looking through the opening in the door, she saw that there was a candle lit, and when she looked at the big canopy bed, she felt her eyes stretch. The bed was empty and the candle was almost at the point of dying. She wondered where the orange haired man was, but she had no time to ponder on this little fact, since at that moment, she heard another pair of footsteps coming down the hall. By the sound of it, the person coming towards her was wearing boots and Rukia vaguely remembered that the king was wearing leather ones… Backing up, the black haired girl turned and padded in the opposite direction of where the footsteps were coming from. She made sure that she wasn't heard, and when she looked up from her feet, she saw the wall. The footsteps kept coming closer and Rukia pressed herself up against the wall as much as she could, but she knew it was no use. One step… Two… The lady calculated that she had about seven footsteps left to come up with a story. Before her mind could even work, though, a hand clamped over her mouth, whilst another pulled her into a very narrow crevice in the wall. She hadn't even known it was there. It was invisible from the hallway and one had to stand at an angle to even spot it. She wanted to yelp, but the hand over her mouth didn't allow her to even part her lips.

"Shh," a voice said, low enough for only Rukia to hear. The hand over her mouth moved away and a single finger replaced it. The person standing opposite her was breathing deeply and his chest moved back and forth against her own. She held her breath as the footsteps paused in front of her hiding place and only let the breath go when she was sure that the person outside had walked away.

The two people who were standing chest to chest in that narrow space just stood there, breathing. When Rukia was calm again, she looked up, but couldn't see the face of the person who had helped her. It was too dark, and the girl squinted to see who it was. She had a good feeling that she knew though. It was then that she realized that both of the man's hands were resting on her hips and her hands were on his chest. It didn't feel strange or uncomfortable, but warm and tingly and Rukia didn't want to pull away. Not that there was any space for her to do so.

"Kaien," she breathed and was suddenly aware that all she was wearing was a silk nightgown. She didn't know how she knew that it was Kaien, but she just did.

"Wow, Midget, way to almost get caught," the king said sarcastically. Rukia could hear the smile in his voice, but she scowled in the dark and looked at him. As her eyes became accustomed to the dark, she could faintly see the outlines of his face; his nose, his ears, his hair that seemed to stand up all by itself… And found that he was closer than she had originally thought he was. Much closer…

The distance wiped all coherent, murderous thoughts from her brain, and as he exhaled normally, his breath fanned across Rukia's face. The king didn't know how to react either, and to him it felt like his hands were glued to Rukia's delicate hips. He was about a head taller than her, but that did nothing to keep them farther apart. The silent spell was broken as soon as Rukia removed her hands from his chest to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. Ichigo cleared his throat and removed his hands. Then, he started moving sideways out of the crevice. Rukia followed him and they stood opposite each other again, but this time there was a fairly large amount of space between them. Being able to think again, Rukia quickly regained her temper.

"I'm not a midget, idiot," she hissed and narrowed her eyes at the handsome man in front of her. From what she could see in the dimly lit hallway, he raised his eyebrows.

"Che," he scoffed and once again crossed his arms over his chest. Rukia had noticed that it was a gesture which had become habit long ago, but she also noted that it suited his personality perfectly.

"What are _you _doing here anyway?" she asked him snottily. He lifted his eyebrows at her statement.

"Contrary to your belief that everything in and around this place belongs to you, I happen to have just been awake, and not been able to sleep," he replied in the same tone of voice which she had used a moment earlier.

"I think the real question is midget, what were _you _doing outside _my _room in the middle of the night?" He said, his tone sceptical.

* * *

"I…I ha… wante…" Rukia stammered, trying to think of a valid excuse. She could find none, so she just stood there, glaring. Ichigo chuckled and shook his head.

"Fool," Rukia muttered and punched his shoulder. It was a real aggressive punch, and Ichigo was surprised at how much it hurt. He glared at her this time and rubbed his arm where she had punched him. He couldn't deny the fact that this girl was something completely different, and that he would have quite a lot to tell Kaien when he got back to Camelot. The two people stood there, willing the life out of each other until another pair of footsteps sounded in the hall. Ichigo listened, and when he could identify a second pair, walking to the same rhythm that the first was, he jumped into action. His room was two steps away, and on instinct, he grabbed Rukia's hand and silently and led her into it. He kept his hold on her hand as a sign that she should stay where she was. They stopped inside the door, Ichigo swinging it towards them until there was an inch left. Then he stood still, listening. The footsteps carried on to just outside Ichigo's door and the substitute king could swear that he felt Rukia's sharp intake of breath.

"This is his room," a voice that Ichigo had never heard before, said.

"Is that all then, sir?" another, strange voice asked. They were talking in low whispers, the first one deeper than the other.

"Yes. You have three days," the first replied, then it sounded like he was going to walk away.

"Sir, are you sure this is Kaien Shiba, King of Camelot?" the second asked to which the first replied by chuckling.

"Imbecile," he said in a murmur as he walked away. After a few minutes, a second pair of feet departed down the hall. When she was sure that he was gone, Rukia let out a sigh of relief. Ichigo was still standing in the same position, holding onto Rukia's wrist. She tried to shake out of his hold, but he wouldn't budge. Little did Rukia know that while she was trying to get loose, Ichigo was trying to think of a plan.

"Kaien!" she hissed in warning. "Let go!" Finally, the orange haired man let go of her wrist, only to grab her by her shoulders.

"What is it?" she asked, trying to push him away. Being so close to him made the raven haired girl edgy… And so far she wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad one.

"Rukia! Stand still!" he scolded and shook her. "Geesh I'm trying to tell you something!" The girl stood still, waiting for whatever the king had to say.

"Those guys…" he said and shook his head. "Why are they after me?" Looking into his brown eyes proved to be quite hard in the dark, since the candle on the bedside table had long since perished. The light from the hall shone on Rukia though, leaving Ichigo's face in darkness.

"How should I know?" she asked a little too loud.

"Fine… But if I'm dead in three days… I'll be sure to say your name as a curse on my deathbed," He said and wagged his index finger at Rukia's chest. The girl snarled at him.

"Go to hell _your highness_," she said, making sure to lay a thick layer of sarcasm on her words.

Ichigo rolled his eyes and let go of Rukia. He knew something was up, but he didn't know what. He made it his goal to find out what it was before the week was over.

* * *

When she climbed back into her bed, Rukia was extravagantly pissed. First the man had the _nerve _to clamp his hand over her mouth, then he had insulted her to no end and _then_ he had blamed her for the two men outside his door. Men were positively pathetic. She turned onto her side and looked at the gap in her drapes. Outside, the moon was half full, shining brightly onto the castle grounds. She sighed and let her eyes drift close. She thought about the way Kaien's hands had stayed on her hips… The way he said her name… _No, don't think about it! _She told herself and squeezed her eyes closed. _I will not think about him or those two men who are... _She said again and stopped herself from finishing the thought as her brain shut down and she fell asleep.

* * *

Renji rolled over once again, thinking. He didn't understand Ichigo. The man had come to him after they had had dinner and sort of told them all what had happened that day. The redhead couldn't comprehend why he would show his true colours to Rukia Kuchiki, but he also knew that there was no chance of anyone finding… No scratch that. Everyone was going to find out that the King was being impersonated by Ichigo at the wedding. This thought shook him awake completely and he sat up, running a hand through his long hair. He looked at the bed next to his and registered Yukata's sleeping form. He could also not understand the dark haired man. He didn't walk around without his shirt after his bath and rather got dressed in the bathroom. Renji didn't know if the guy was just overly self-conscious or if it was something else. Sighing, he moved his eyes to the heavy drapes in front of the window. He could see the pure white moonlight peeking out from under the curtains, and he wondered if the moon was full. Curiosity got the better of him and he got out of the bed to pull the drapes away and look outside. He was greeted by a rather bright half-moon. He sighed and his eye caught a small movement on the windowsill. He would not have seen the snake had it stayed still, but the little brown critter had decided to move slightly.

"Hello little fella," Renji whispered and picked the snake up by its tail. The creature didn't protest and slithered onto Renji's arm. He could tell that it meant him no harm, so he let the snake roam free over his shoulders and arms.

"Abarai you idiot… What are you doing there?" a tired voice said from Yukata's bed. Renji jumped, which almost made the snake fall off his arm. To say the least, it pissed the little creature off, making it slither onto the big man's shoulder, and hiss at Yukata.

"Nothing man, go back to sleep," he said and eyed the snake on his shoulder. It didn't seem to be planning an attack on Renji, but the redhead couldn't be sure, so he stayed still. The black haired man stifled a yawn and threw his feet off the bed. _Shit… Don't come here!_ Renji screamed in his head. His wish seemed to be forgotten by fate, since the next thing he knew, the other man was walking towards him. The red haired man turned so that Yukata couldn't see the snake on his shoulder. He didn't know the other man that well yet, but if Yukata freaked out, he would no doubt wake Uryū and Toshiro up in the next room.

"How come you're not asleep?" he asked Renji in an unnaturally high pitched voice while rubbing his eyes. The redhead raised his eyebrows and looked at Yukata. He was wearing a pyjama top, and bottom and it looked like he was also wearing a white shirt under his pyjama shirt. It was a warm evening and Renji wondered why Yukata wasn't sweating or dying of heat.  
"Relax Nishio," Renji said, his attention back on the snake again. The other man shook his head and ran his hand through his hair. The black mane, stood in different directions, but stood out more on the sides than at the back like usual, and Renji couldn't help thinking that he was talking to a girl. He shook himself mentally and at that moment, accidentally turned so that the snake on his shoulder was visible to Yukata.

"Oh my fuck, Renji… What is that?" he said and pointed to the redhead's collarbone. Yukata's entire body was rigid and tense as he looked at the brown snake coiled up on Renji's shoulder.

"What, this?" he said and pointed to the snake. The black haired man nodded once, never taking his eyes off the creature. Renji waved a dismissive hand in Yukata's direction, making sure to not look at the snake. The redhead didn't know why, but he felt a connection with the creature. He would know when the snake decides to move, or strike… Whichever came first.

"Well duh, Yukata… It's a snake," he said and rolled his eyes sarcastically. The other man looked at him indifferently.  
"I know that dumbass… I mean what is it doing on your shoulder?" he said and put his hands on his hips. Renji shrugged his unoccupied shoulder and walked back to his bed. There, he lit a candle and walked back to the window.

"There you go," the big man said and took the snake off his shoulder. Yukata opened the window and Renji allowed the snake to slither out of it and into the bushes below.

"Thanks man." Yukata said and closed the window, stepping away to close the drapes as well. Renji didn't allow his brain to think of Yukata any further, and he stopped trying to solve the other man's mystery. He wasn't sure that he would be able to forget it for very long, though.

"Go back to bed Renji," the black haired man said and walked back to his bed. The other man followed and climbed into his own bed. He pulled the covers up to his waist, and couldn't help but notice that Yukata had pulled the covers up to his chin and had turned away from Renji. _Is he seriously that cold? _The red haired man thought, just as a cloud of sleep settled over his head, sending him to the dream realm.

* * *

Suί-Fēng walked down the corridor in front of the Count's room. She couldn't decide whether she should knock and enter the one room in the castle that hasn't seen her face before, or whether she should just up and walk away. She turned at the end of the hall and turned around again, pacing… Up and down the hallway. She knew that Byakuya was still awake… If the light filtering through the crack underneath his door was anything to go by. Her hands itched to turn the knob and peek in and see what he was doing, but something stopped her. What would her excuse be? It was unlikely that he would want to be disturbed so late at night, even if it was by the person who had been appointed as the second person in command of the kingdom. It would have to be an emergency for her to knock and open that door. Slowly making up her mind, she turned and walked away, back to her room on the other side of the castle. She would have to tell him her suggestion of going to the beach tomorrow, in the morning.

* * *

**There we are now! Another chapter done! Hope ya'll enjoyed it! **

**Please review, I would LOVE to know what you thought! **


	5. Naive

**Welcome back! **

**This chapter goes out to **_**darklover**_** who has been my royal reviewer and reader since I started. I just wanted to say thanks! And that you are totally awesome!**

**Also, thank you all so much for adding this to your favourites list, reviewing, (**_**BrianaB, Wawa, Alyssa, kyurikochan, dbzgtfan2004,**__**Mari Kia Resha Aishiteru**__**, hinataellis, tunabella, ptitvio) **_**adding it to your alerts and all those awesome things! **

**~Disclaimer: Bleach = not mine!**

* * *

**I'm not saying it's your fault  
Although you could have done more  
Oh you're so naive yet so  
How could this been done  
By such a smiling sweetheart.  
Oh and your sweet and pretty face  
in such an ugly world  
something so beautiful.  
Oh that every time I look inside**

**I know, she knows that I'm not fond of asking**  
**True or false, it may be... Well, she's still out to get me.**  
**And I know, she knows that I'm not fond of asking**  
**True or false, it may be... She's still out to get me!**

**~Naïve, by The Kooks**

* * *

**Chapter 5 – Naïve**

When Ichigo woke up the next morning, sunlight was peeking through the curtains. It looked like it would be another sunny day. He put his hands behind his head and stared up at the ceiling. He thought about Rukia and about how her eyes shone last night. Those purple orbs had so much depth in them that it wasn't hard to imagine drowning in them.

"Arg!" He yelled and turned around to punch the pillow. He couldn't feel this way about her… It wasn't right. He had a job to do and liking Rukia wasn't part of the deal. At that moment he constructed a firm boundary between them. _I won't like her._ He told himself then got up and changed. He put on his favourite cotton shirt.

"Your highness?" someone called from the door when he was pulling on his first boot. He recognized Uryū's voice and told him to come in. The black haired man sat on the chair next to the bed and watched him pull on his other shoe.

"What?" Ichigo asked and looked at Uryū. He man had a strange look on his face and it made Ichigo uncomfortable.

"Take a guess what we're doing today?" he said and sat back in the chair. Ichigo lifted his shoulders and kept his eyebrows furrowed.

"We're taking the horses down to the beach," he said and folded his hands in his lap. Ichigo's right eyebrow shot up as he scrutinized his friend.

"Everyone?" he asked and got up. Uryū nodded and also got up.

"We're leaving after breakfast," he said and ran a hand through his midnight hair. Ichigo jerked his head up and down once then motioned for Uryū to lead him to where they would be having breakfast. He couldn't help but think that going to the beach was going to be interesting… He wanted to chuckle at the thought of Rukia on a horse, but then he remembered the boundary and didn't utter a sound. He would do this… Not for Kaien, but for himself and for self-preservation. After his mother died, Ichigo didn't want to feel any more pain.

"Good morning your highness," his friends greeted him as they entered the hall. There were many people seated at different tables in the large room, but the one he was heading towards was at the back of the room and at it, Count Kuchiki himself was seated at the head of the table. His sister sat next to him and the seat on her other side was obviously his. Making sure that his wall was still in place; he walked up to his seat and said good morning to the girl with the violet eyes. She greeted him with the same poise she seemed to always have around her brother. Ichigo bet that if he were to start annoying her in front of the Count, she would smile at him emotionlessly and shoot him down. Now where would the fun in that be? The orange haired man wanted to smirk but kept his face in place. He also didn't try to smile any more, knowing it would only turn out to look funny and fake in any case.

"Have you ever been to the beach your majesty?" Rukia asked courteously. Ichigo looked at her and saw her mask crack a bit as he looked into her face.

"Yeah, when I was younger," he said, being careful to leave out anything about his father and two sisters. Rukia smiled at him in a way that seemed as fake as his own would have been. He has been there for only two days and she was already growing on him. They ate the rest of their meal discussing their plans for the day. Some servants were already packing their lunch and saddling their horses and they would spend the day on the sand at the beach. When Ichigo heard that they were saddling the horses he really did snort. The only person who was allowed to saddle his horse was him and Hanataro. It was one of the reason's Ichigo had picked the small boy when the squire's had to be assigned to knights. He wished the person trying to saddle Zangetsu good luck. When they were all done, they arranged to meet in the stables. Ichigo went there directly with Renji and Toshiro. Uryū and Yukata went back to pick up a few things and said that they would meet them there.

Unbeknownst to them, a certain black haired girl was walking within hearing distance of them on their way to the stables.

"Zangetsu isn't really one to like to be saddled by someone other than you right?" Renji said and chuckled when Ichigo shook his head. Toshiro kept quiet, his mind preoccupied with thoughts of a certain girl back in Camelot.

"Hey shorty where's your head?" Ichigo asked and aimed a smack at the silver haired man's shoulder. His hand met Toshiro's shoulder, but the act was more playful and the smack didn't hurt. The shorter man rolled his eyes at Ichigo and continued kept his pace even.

"You wouldn't know what thinking was if it came and bit you on the ass, carrot-top," Toshiro teased which made Renji snort. Ichigo called Toshiro a very terrible name and grumbled a bit to himself. Rukia was laughing silently at the king's knight. It was funny how they didn't fear him or his power and it was even stranger to see that he didn't really care.

* * *

They were the first to arrive at the stables. Shortly after them, Rukia stepped through into the light and walked up to them in her no-nonsense way. She had a small leather bag with her and looked at the two men sceptically.

"What?" Renji asked her in the least bossy voice he could. She lifted her eyes, smiled like she had a secret and shook her head. The red haired man looked at Ichigo and Ichigo lifted his shoulders in a shrug.

It took a few minutes for the rest of the company, to arrive and when they did, they were followed by two servants carrying picnic baskets. Ichigo groaned internally. Now where the hell were they supposed to put those? Couldn't they just split the food and put it in the satchels on all the saddles? Didn't that seem like such a better option? He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. The orange strands were hanging in his face again, but he didn't really want to cut it. To do it right would take a lot of time he didn't have.

"Your highness?" a panting voice called to him. He turned around, looking for the source of it, and when he found it, he realized it must have been one of the boys who had busied themselves with saddling the horses. Ichigo couldn't help but crack a smile. He knew that no one would be able to tame his Zangetsu enough to saddle him.

"I'm coming," he said and started walking up to the boy who stood in the door. There was a big commotion in the last stall and the orange haired man chuckled to himself as he approached the seven or eight teenage boys standing around Zangetsu, trying to calm him down.

"Everyone stop what you are doing and stand still!" Ichigo demanded in a voice loud enough for all the boys to hear. The commotion ceased. Zangetsu was snorting and trampling on the ground, obviously upset.

"Good, now move away as slowly as possible," he said, lifting his hands in a calming gesture. He could see that he had arrived at just the right time. If they had tried anything with his horse at that moment, they would've all been trampled or kicked to death. He didn't underestimate horses, not after the accident…

"Whoa boy," he soothed his horse and brought his hand up to Zangetsu's nose. He stepped into the horse's field of vision, making sure he recognised him before moving closer.

"There you go…" he said and stroked the black neck. The animal was still snorting, but Ichigo could tell that he had calmed down a bit. He smiled at his steed and stepped back to look around him. His saddle was lying to one side and this made the amber eyed man want to chuckle.

"Just leave him be for a moment. I'll saddle him in a bit," he said to the boy closet to him. The lad had dark red hair and bulging brown eyes. It seemed he was a bit shocked. He flashed his eyes to Ichigo's then bowed so low Ichigo wondered how his back didn't snap.

"Uhm," was all he could say to that bow.

"What is the matter in here?" a woman's voice said from behind him. "Oh, your highness," she said and curtsied when Ichigo turned around. It was the woman who the count introduced to him as his advisor. _What was her name again?_ He wondered and racked his brain for it, but he just couldn't remember. He never was that good with names.

"Uhm, nothing… Ma'am… uhm," one of the boys stuttered. Ichigo jumped in without thinking.

"Oh, just a complication with the saddling of my horse. Nothing too drastic," he said and waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. The lady smiled and looked back to the entrance.

"Well, we would like to leave as soon as possible your highness," She said and curtsied again. Ichigo nodded and looked back to his horse. He seemed to have calmed down somewhat, and the carrot-top guessed he would be able to saddle him by then.

* * *

"He's on his way my lord," Suί-Fēng said to Byakuya as she came out of the stable. Byakuya nodded and his face, as always, stayed passive. The dark haired man couldn't remember when last he went to the beach without… her. He had become emotionless after her death. Or at least emotionless to the rest of the world. The hurt her death caused him still woke him up at night and kept him awake for hours. He sighed internally and looked towards Rukia. She was stroking her horse, waiting for the rest of the party to mount, so she could as well. They looked so much alike it was scary.

…

"Right," Ichigo said as he put a foot in one of the stirrups and swung his body over to place his other foot in the one on the opposite side. Zangetsu was still breathing heavily, but he had finally calmed down. The orange haired man clicked his tongue and kicked his horse lightly. He moved forward and out of the stables. All the boys looked at the horse in a weary way, then bowed to Ichigo. He didn't like it when people did that, but he didn't see it fit to tell them that.

When his horse exited the stables into the sunlight, Ichigo saw that he was the only one on his horse. He sighed and then had to wait another long moment for everyone to mount their horses. He made a point of it to not look at Rukia, scared that he might laugh or not laugh… He wasn't sure which thought was worse.

"You look tense," Yukata said next to him. Ichigo shrugged and tried to relax his shoulders. He couldn't.  
"What's wrong?" the dark haired man asked in a whisper. Ichigo just shook his head, deciding to keep his problems to himself. He didn't want to be there. He didn't understand why Kaien had asked him to do this. Why couldn't he have just come? Ichigo sighed and steered Zangetsu closer to Uryū and Renji. He knew Yukata would follow, but he didn't expect the dark haired man to say something else.

"There's no need to be so uptight carrot-top," he said, loud enough for only the orange haired man to hear. "You really shouldn't take life so seriously!" Ichigo gaped at him. He hadn't ever heard Yukata say something like that, but the man looked agitated, his brows pulled together and his lips pressed together in a thin line. Ichigo smiled at that. He couldn't help it; the man was fierce and definitely brave. He nodded, turned away from Yukata and unintentionally looked straight into Rukia's eyes. He swore to himself as he nodded to her too. This was so unlike him. He didn't usually hold his tongue and just nod to people. He sighed and followed Byakuya who had started riding toward another part of the woods.

The ride there was relaxed and everyone laughed and chatted amongst each other. Ichigo couldn't help but notice that in fact, Rukia looked at home on her horse. She rode side-saddle and did so elegantly.

* * *

Rukia couldn't help but notice how handsome the man with the orange hair looked sitting with his back so straight. He looked proud. She looked down at the soft, sky blue dress she had picked out to wear that day and wondered if this was the right thing. She felt something for this stupid king, but she wasn't sure if it was hate or perhaps something edging more towards affection. Her feet were secure in her single stirrup and she looked around her. The four men who had come with the king were talking amongst themselves and the one with the messy black hair caught her eye. He looked so small in comparison with the other three. Rukia wasn't sure what it was about him, but something was different. She sighed again and peeked at him from under her lashes, quickly glancing away when he looked at her.

* * *

Ichigo tried to keep his eyes on the two horses in front of him. Count Kuchiki and Suί-Fēng were talking and it looked like the woman was purposely riding very close to the count's horse. The orange haired man wanted to laugh at this, since there was no way that the count even suspected that there was something going on. He talked to his advisor in the same dramatic, monotone that seemed to suit him perfectly. The man only spoke about things that concerned his kingdom. Ichigo could only pick up snippets of conversation, but the little bits that he heard bored him slightly. He concentrated and thought of home.

He wondered if his darker haired sister was still sneaking out at night... This thought made him wonder again. He always thought it was a guy, and Ichigo itched to go and find out whom, but the carrot-top hoped that that wasn't the case. He tried to think who it could be that Karin was sneaking out to meet or if it was some_thing_ and not some_one_. His father wasn't much help; since all he could do was run to the little altar where he had put all his wife's personal belongings and cry about how quickly his little girl was growing up. Ichigo looked up and saw that everything around him was quiet. He hadn't noticed that the sounds of laughter and voices had faded away until that moment. At the exact moment the orange haired man thought he might be lost, he saw Suί-Fēng's long braids in front of him. He exhaled in relief and looked around him to see why everyone was quiet. It seemed that they were listening intently and when Ichigo turned his head to the side a bit he could hear it too. There was a shuffling in the bush nearby and going on experience, the orange haired man could tell it was big. He pointed a finger to Toshiro and then to Byakuya's back. The teal eyed man nodded and urged his horse forward at a brisk pace and whispered something in the count's ear. Ichigo saw Byakuya nod and with that, the count kicked his horse and sped away. A few seconds later, Suί-Fēng followed suite, and then all the others sped after them.

They galloped for quite a while in single file, with Ichigo and Rukia in the middle, Byakuya in the front and Yukata at the back.

"Whoa, Zangetsu," Ichigo called and brought the group to a walk once again. He knew that whatever was in that bush was big enough to be a danger to them but it wouldn't ever attack a group as big as his. He just didn't want to take any chances.  
"What was all that about?" Renji asked and looked at the orange haired man questioningly.  
"It was quite possible a predator Abarai," Uryū answered and pushed his looking glasses up his nose with his middle finger. Ichigo didn't say anything, and just looked in front of him, making sure that Byakuya was aware. The man in front turned around and with a very dramatic swish of his scarf he nodded solemnly to the carrot-top.

The petite Kuchiki princess didn't look like she had any idea of what was going on, but Ichigo understood that she trusted her brother and Suί-Fēng to keep her from harm. What Rukia didn't know, was that she had four other men who would stand in front of her should she be threatened. It took but a day and a half for Renji, Uryū, Toshiro, and Yukata to gain respect for the little woman. Even Ichigo would stand in the way of someone doing harm to her. He tried to convinced himself that he would only do so for his king.

The horses' hooves trotted on to sand not long after that, and Rukia felt that old tingly feeling that always came with the smell of salt and the feel of see spray on her face. She loved the see and would  
live in a cave next to it if it meant that she could see and hear the ocean for the rest of her life. She sighed and a few pairs of eyes shot to her face. They saw her smile and turned back.

* * *

Toshiro liked water, but he wasn't particularly fond of the sea. The part where were going now and where he had gone before had warm water and he preferred his water cold.

Hyorimaru snorted at Toshiro and the silver haired man stroked the horse's mane. The animal was always incredibly calm and collected and he reacted well towards everyone who had ever touched him. Toshiro wasn't really one for pets and when he first rode a horse he was terrified. Since he was so short, the ground seemed much further away than it would for most people. He didn't like thinking of himself as short, and would rather call himself lucky. Thanks to his height, he looked younger than he really was…

"Hey Toshiro," a voice called to him from behind. He closed his eyes in frustration.

"Abarai… I told you, you may ONLY call me Hitsugaya," Toshiro said and glanced at the redhead. Renji rolled his eyes and brought his horse up next to Toshiro's.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say," he replied. The silver haired man sighed again.

"So anyway," Renji continued as if Toshiro had never even spoken. "How badly do you think this thing will backfire on Ichigo when they find out?" He asked in a very low tone. Toshiro shot him a warning look and hissed back.

"Shut up you idiot!" He said and looked around to make sure no one had heard him. "I'll talk to you later," he grumbled and Renji looked at him.

"Sheesh… No need to get all grumpy," he said and rolled his eyes at Toshiro. The shorter man thought he felt a vein pop in his head. He ignored the other knight and instead focussed on Ichigo. He didn't know what Kaien was thinking, sending the knight. If the wedding came around and everyone saw that Kaien in truth had black hair, they would accuse Kurosaki of treason. The punishment would be death. Is that what their king was planning? But he would never do such a thing. Kaien Shiba was a respectable, very loyal, kind hearted king and he would never do such a thing. With that in mind, Toshiro looked ahead of him and smiled.

_Whatever it is… Brace yourself Ichigo…_ He thought as he looked at the knight.

* * *

"You wanted to see me your highness?" a lazy voice said and a blond man with a fan in his hand walked into Kaien's study. The king was looking at a book that he had found an hour or so ago and smiled when Kisuke entered the room.

"Ah yes," the king said and stood up. The blond man chuckled and leaned against a wall, waiting for the black haired man to continue. "As you have predicted and advised me, Ichigo Kurosaki is in Lancaster in my place." Urahara nodded and lifted an eyebrow, the smile on his face never wavering.

"You know what will happen when he comes back, yes?" Kisuke asked and opened his fan, looking at the flowers embroidered on it. The king nodded solemnly and folded his hands behind his back.

"Rukia Kuchiki is not someone to take lightly," he said and closed his fan.

"I know," Kaien replied and looked at his most trusted advisor. "For some reason, I think everything will work out perfectly," He said with a grin.

"Don't say I didn't warn you!" the blond man sung and danced out of his king's study. Kaien sighed and crossed his hands over his chest. He had a crinkle in his brow as he looked down at the book on the table.

* * *

They had just arrived at the decided spot on the beach and dismounted their horses when Ichigo noticed that they were missing someone. And not just anyone, they were missing a certain short, raven haired Kuchiki. He jumped back on his horse again and before they could turn to him, he was racing back the way they had come.

_Stupid girl!_ He cursed as he continued down the sandy pathway between the trees. _She couldn't have been left that far behind._ He felt his eyebrows furrow even more than they usually did and he pulled on Zangetsu's reigns to slow his horse down. He didn't hear anything apart from the chirping of birds and a few little critters hurrying away.

"Rukia! Where are you, Midget?" he said, more to himself than to anyone else, but when he heard her reply, relief flooded his veins.

"What do you want?" she said and he followed her voice to the right. He stopped in front of where Rukia was standing. She was off her horse and standing in mud with her dainty slippers. Ichigo raised an eyebrow at this, and when she scowled at him he snorted sarcastically.

"How did you manage that?" he asked. She glared at him and put her chin up.

"That is none of your business," she said coldly and held her dress more firmly. Ichigo could tell that she was scared it might drag in the mud.

"The hell it isn't," he said and crossed his arms over his chest. She turned her head away from him, and he thought it was because she was being stubborn. "Why are you just standing there?" he asked her, irritated. She glared at him again and muttered something he wasn't able to hear.

"I'm sorry, what?" he asked and leaned closer to her sarcastically.

"My feet are stuck okay?" she yelled, a little too loudly. Ichigo blinked and bit back laughter.

"Why did you get off your horse in the first place?" he asked between fits of laughter.

"Shut up and get me out of here you fool!" she said with authority. The orange haired man continued to chuckle. He didn't understand why she didn't just take off her shoes and jump out.

"Fine, fine," he said and stepped in the mud with his leather boots. He sank in a bit, but not enough for the mud to ruin his shoes. She stared at him coldly and crossed her petite arms over her chest. He put his hands on her waist and lifted her out of the mud with no effort whatsoever. She stood on the dry ground and inspected the damage to her shoes. She almost cried when she saw that they were no longer anything close to their original colour. She sighed and looked up at her horse. She usually had no problem getting onto Shirayuki, but at that moment, she didn't have the energy to gracefully climb onto her horse. So what she did then, she promised to never repeat. EVER. She put a foot in her stirrup and jumped onto the white mare, stomach first. This caused her foot to lose its hold and for Rukia to flail her legs in the air, probably showing the king her backside. Rukia was mortified and she could feel her cheeks heat up with embarrassment. Instead of hearing the expected laughter though, Rukia felt his big hands on her waist again, pulling her up, then turning her around and setting her down. He had a smirk on his face and the black haired girl couldn't bring herself to even glare at him. She was _that _embarrassed.

"Do you always get on your horse that way?" he asked her sarcastically.  
"Fool," she muttered and looked at her hands. She saw a scratch across her left palm, where she had felt it sting when she tried to get on Shirayuki.

"I guess it's because you are so short then, Midget," he said and lifted his shoulders in a shrug.

"Well I don't know why nobody teases you about your hair, carrot head! Or maybe it's just because they're scared you'll take your anger management issues out on them," Rukia bit back and was very satisfied to see anger in his amber eyes. This time she was the one to smirk.

"Anything else?" he asked through his teeth. She smiled.

"Yes. You look funny when you scowl, which you do all the time by the way. You are way too tall. You're rude, and disrespectful and just a horrible, mean person," she said, suddenly feeling very good about herself.

"Yeah, well you're rude, don't know how to be respectful, too short, a pain in my ass and you are stalking me!" he shouted, his hands in fists at his side, his brown eyes on fire. She clicked her tongue at him and narrowed her eyes.

"I hate you," she said with icy passion. The orange haired man rolled his eyes and turned away from her.

* * *

"Finally, something we agree on," he said, just loud enough for her to hear. She could feel her nostrils flare as she tried to stare him into nothingness. The man had some way of annoying her to no end, and Rukia didn't think she would be able to stand his company for very long, not to mention the rest of her life. She watched the king mount his horse and got an idea. She slipped off Shirayuki quickly, not minding that she would have to get back on again. Bending, Rukia picked up some of the slimy mud and squished it together in her hands. She had an evil glint in her eye, a smirk on her face and a giggle on her lips as she aimed for the stupid King's head. It hit him on the back of his head, the mud turning the orange into some weird mix between the two. The violet eyed girl laughed out loud as the mud dripped onto his shirt and waistcoat. She shut her eyes and clutched her stomach, enjoying the taste of revenge.

"Rukia," she heard him say and opened her eyes, only to see him standing right in front of her with a smirk on his face. She jumped up and ran away from him with confidence. She laughed again, but the giggles were quickly subdued when he caught her by her waist rather easily. He held her at arm's length away from him so she couldn't reach him, then he grinned at her, his eyebrows furrowed as always. She felt her eyes grow as her future husband lifted her a bit, then put her, on her back, in the mud. She wasn't laughing anymore.

"Idiot, ass, fool, carrot-top," she muttered as she got up and got back on her horse. Shirayuki didn't seem too happy with Rukia for making her dirty too, and shook her head in what was obvious anger. "Che," was all he said. Rukia didn't look at the orange haired man until they were back with the rest of the people on the beach. Ichigo washed his hair off in the surf, but the black haired woman didn't have that privilege.

She wanted to take a nice, hot bath and she wanted to get out of her dress, but there was no way in hell, that she would give Kaien the satisfaction of seeing her irritation.

As the day passed, a wind stated to kick up, and Rukia watched the air make ripples in her now dry dress. To her, the ripples were beautiful, almost magical. They looked like the waves in the ocean and it pleased her. She rode back home with a slight, secret smile on her face. She had an idea, and she couldn't wait to get home and plan it out. When she looked up again, she was surprised to see that they were already there. She handed her horse over to one of the younger boys, standing there, waiting for them. As she did so, she kept an eye on the king. He took his own horse into the stable and Rukia smirked. _Perfect_. She thought as she picked up her dress and practically ran to the kitchen. She looked at the floor as she flew down the hall, so she didn't see the man ahead of her until she was lying on the floor, dizzy from the impact.

"Miss Kuchiki," a voice hissed. She looked up into his face and felt a shiver go down her spine. The silver haired man smiled at her slyly and had his hands behind his back. Rukia got up quickly and smiled lightly before curtsying to Gin Ichimaru before running off. He looked at her retreating form and smiled to himself.

* * *

**Hope you all enjoy this as much as I am enjoying writing it! **

**Please drop me a review and let me know what you thought… **

**No, seriously… Review.**

**KAYTHANKSBYE! **


	6. When it rains

**AAAAANNNNDDDD I'm back with another chapter! I have a bit of a dilemma guys… I'm having tons of writers block for this story, and I just can't come up with things that feel good enough to me. I would love it if you guys helped out! If you have any ideas, please send me a PM or put it as a review? With your input, I can make this story better! Please guys, I'm having lots of trouble here… **

**Anyway… **

**~Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach!**

**And when it rains,  
You always find an escape  
Just running away,  
From all of the ones who love you,  
From everything.  
You made yourself a bed  
At the bottom of the blackest hole  
And you'll sleep 'til May  
And you'll say that you don't want to see the sun anymore**

**And oh, oh, how could you do it?**  
**Oh I, I never saw it coming.**  
**And oh, oh, I need an ending.**  
**So why can't you stay just long enough to explain?**

**~When it rains, by Paramore**

**Chapter 6 ~ When it rains**

Standing on her toes, Rukia reached for the sugar. There had been a few servants in the kitchen that had already started on dinner, but none of them even noticed the petite little lady sneaking to the pantry. Rukia grinned evilly to herself and resisted the urge to snicker. She was still covered in mud, but by then, it didn't bother her anymore. She couldn't understand why, but the stupid man with the orange hair made her want to act like a child. Thinking about this for a few seconds, she just shrugged and popped her head out the door to the pantry to see if anyone was looking her way. The coast was clear and Rukia sneaked past all the servants again.

She took a different route to her room than she usually did, but she wanted to check if her future husband was in his. When she heard voices behind his door, she walked off again.

Hinamori had already prepared a bath for Rukia and the raven haired girl smiled as she sank into the water to rinse her still muddy hair.

When her chambermaid saw her all dirty and covered in mud, she giggled into her hand, though she didn't ask her what happened. Rukia relaxed in the bath before sending Hinamori off to go and see if Kaien was in his room. She agreed without asking questions. This alone made Rukia realise that something was slightly off. She didn't want to pry, but she decided to ask her chambermaid what was wrong when she returned.

Rukia's mind drifted off as she lay in the bath. She spent two days with that idiot, and she already knew that she didn't really want to marry him. _Just give it one more shot… After the sugar._ She thought and looked at the packet of caramel coloured sugar on her dresser. _Yes. After the sugar._ She smiled at nothing in particular, and went back to cleaning herself.

…

They all retired to bed after dinner, but Rukia felt giddy as she tried to close her eyes and sleep. The drowsiness she wanted so desperately didn't come, as she watched the moon climb higher into the sky through the gap in her drapes.

Some time later, Rukia sighed again and rolled over. Her eyes were open wide as she stared at the wall, willing something to happen. Just when she took a deep breath to sigh again, Rukia heard her doorknob turning. Slowly, the door creaked open and Rukia saw a sliver of light on the wall she was still staring at. She assumed it was Hinamori, who like her couldn't sleep again.

"Momo, go back to bed." Rukia said as nicely as she could. The brown haired girl didn't respond, so Rukia rolled over and sat up, squinting at the figure coming towards her. She sighed and threw her feet off the bed to stand up, but before she could do so, a big hand clamped over her small mouth. Rukia tried to scream but it was no use. The person to whom the hand belonged slammed Rukia down on the bed and climbed over her to keep her feet still. The raven haired lady felt her eyes grow and she bit down on the hand over her mouth.

"OW! Bitch!" The person said and Rukia's eyes narrowed. She knew that voice. Sensing that she wasn't going to scream, he took his hand off her mouth. "First, you throw fucking sugar in my bed, now you _bite _me?" He continued. Rukia felt a smirk spread across her face and she couldn't contain the laughter that was now bubbling from her mouth.

"Shut UP, midget!" Kaien said and clamped his hand over her mouth again. It was no use though, as the laughter kept coming. Soon he was going to have to let go, otherwise she might explode.

"Fool…" Rukia said, said laughing. The orange haired man narrowed his eyes at her, then suddenly realized where he was. Sensing his discomfort, Rukia also noticed their position. As quickly as he possible could, Ichigo rolled off her and sat on the edge of the bed, his face a rather bright shade of crimson. Rukia didn't look any different, and she was glad it was too dark to see the blush.

"Now…" Kaien said and glared at her again. "Why do I have sugar in my bed?"

Rukia just grinned at him.

"Bitch…" He mumbled and got up, but was stopped when a small hand slapped him on the arm. He quickly turned around to face her again.

"Why the hell do you keep hitting me woman?" He asked as he rubbed his shoulder.

"Because you are an ignorant, orange haired baboon with absolutely no common sense!" She snapped back and folded her arms over her chest.

"Oh yeah? Well you're an annoying, bitchy midget who can't keep her hands to herself!" He shot back and glared at her. Rukia gasped.

"Why you…" She said before tackling him. She pulled on his hair and bit his arm, but she still had no power over him. Without so much as the blink of an eye, the brown eyed man put his hand on Rukia's shoulder and kept her at arm's length.

"Calm down, midget." He said with a smirk as she kept thrashing around, trying to get to him. He wouldn't let go though, and soon, Rukia gave up, exhausted. When he figured she was calm enough, he let go of her, but soon regretted it when her foot met his shin.

"OW!" He said and pulled his leg up to rub the bruise that was now, without a doubt, blossoming on his shin.

"Hmph." Rukia said and put her hands on her hips. "Don't mess with me strawberry." She said and put her nose up in the air. She didn't know where she got that nickname, but she guessed it was because the hair on his head made her think of the red fruit.

"I'll do whatever I want thank you very much." He said and met her glare with an equal amount of vigour.

"Why don't you just go to bed?" She asked him when he didn't move. The brown eyed man threw his hands up in the air.

"BECAUSE MY BED IS STICKY AND FULL OF SUGAR!" He whisper-yelled, once again careful not to wake up the rest of the castle.

"Well it's your fault." Rukia said with a shrug. "You were the one who dipped me in mud."

"YOU THREW ME FIRST!" He said, agitated. Rukia just shrugged and walked over to her bed. She checked to make sure he was still standing there before getting in and throwing the sheet over her.

"Deal with it." She said and lay down to try and go back to sleep.

"Brat." He said and walked out the door. Rukia smiled as satisfaction and exhaustion put her to sleep.

…

"Good morning your highness." The purple haired lady said when she opened the door to the king's chambers, allowing herself and Kisuke in. Kaien smiled at them as he pulled on his shirt. He was already half dressed when they burst in, but it happened almost every morning, so it didn't bother him at all.

"Good morning you two." He said went over to where his boots were laying.

"Sir, Ichigo Kurosaki has required our attendance in Lancaster…" Yoruichi said and gave both the men a sly grin. It took Kaien a few moments to process this, but when he did, his face carried the same grin as Yoruichi's.

"Oh, why yes of course. If he demands your presence there, then you must most certainly leave at once." Kaien said and got up after he had put on his shoes. "I shall escort you to the stables. Are you packed?"

Urahara grinned and held up a little satchel. Kaien's eyebrows furrowed.

"How did you fit all your clothes-'' he started to say but was cut off by Urahara's fan which tapped him on the head.

"Never mind that, your highness." He said and opened the fan in front of his face again. Kaien could see the mischievous glint in his eyes. The king nodded and opened his bedroom door. Kisuke and Yoruichi followed the dark haired man out of the castle and into the cloudy morning.

…

"Aya! Malady! You overslept!" The brown haired chambermaid said in a rather loud voice and yanked Rukia's drapes away from the window. The dark haired girl moaned and turned her face away from the sudden light falling onto her face. It wasn't as bright as most mornings, and it took a few seconds for Rukia to realize that it was cloudy. She opened her eyes and blinked a few times, trying to get used to the dimmer light.

"Momo? What time is it?" She snapped, suddenly aware of the fact that she had slept later than she usually did. _It was the stupid King's fault for…_ but the thought of the orange haired man stopped her in her tracks. A faint smile tainted her lips and made her eyes shine as she thought of what had happened that night. _He was so close…_ She exhaled and put her body into motion again. She couldn't think about things like that when she was late.

"You missed breakfast malady." Hinamori said and Rukia could feel her face pale.

"Quickly Hinamori… give me that dress." She said and pointed to the light green dress hanging next to her door. Hinamori looked sceptical, but fetched the dress and helped the Kuchiki princess into it. After that, Rukia slipped on her black slippers and sat down so her chambermaid could fix her hair. She had tossed and turned during the night and her hair was flat on the one side where she had lain on it again. With quick strokes of the brush and many hairpins and clips, Rukia's hair looked pretty. It sat on her head and wisps of her black hair hung out of it. Rukia liked it, but she couldn't care less at that moment… She was preparing herself for her brother's wrath.

She didn't run into anyone on her way to her Byakuya's study. The castle was quiet and something felt off, but Rukia didn't have time to dwell on it. When she arrived in front of her brother's door, she straightened her dress and lifted her shaking hand to knock.

"Come in." She heard when she stopped knocking. She swallowed the bile in her throat and entered the room. Immediately she met her brother's eyes. She curtsied to him and walked up to his desk, not once looking away from those hard eyes.

"Where were you this morning when we had the morning meal, Rukia?" He asked her icily. She kept the passive expression on her face as she curtsied again.

"I apologise, brother. I did not wake up at the time I usually do, and I missed breakfast because of that." She said and watched him. She swore she could see his eyes narrowing slightly, but it could have been a trick of her mind.

"Very well." He said and looked down at his work again. Rukia blinked and folded her hand into a fist inconspicuously.

"I am sorry, brother." She said again and turned around to get the hell out of there.

"Rukia…" He said, stopping her. "This will not happen again." Rukia turned and nodded solemnly. She would make sure it didn't. As soon as she was outside her brother's office, Rukia let out a breath and slumped against the door.

"Overslept huh?" A voice said next to her. Her head swivelled to the right and saw a certain orange haired king leaning against the wall with his arms folded over his chest and his usual smirk on his face. Rukia's eyes narrowed.

"Fool. If you hadn't come to my room last night, this wouldn't have happened." Rukia whispered frantically. Kaien lifted his eyebrow and looked at her.

"Well," He snorted. "That wouldn't have happened if _you _didn't put sugar in my bed." The dark haired girl glared at him and pointed a finger at his face.

"_That _wouldn't have happened if you didn't dip me in mud!" She spat at him. The orange haired man's eyebrows pulled closer together as a scowl married his face once again.

"I thought we were done with this conversation." He said and had the satisfaction of seeing Rukia's face heat up in anger.

"Fool." She said before and glared at him. At that moment, Rukia's stomach rumbled, indicating that she had in fact not had breakfast yet. Ichigo's eyes shot down to her stomach and he smirked again.

"Come with me midget." He said and started walking to his room. Rukia crossed her arms over her chest and stared after him for a moment. It was her curiosity that set her feet into motion and had her following him back up to his chambers.

"Come on in." He said and held the door open for her. She hesitated but walked in and the King shut the door behind her.

"What do you want?" She asked him with narrow eyes. The orange haired man rolled his eyes and reached into the drawer next to his bed and pulled out… an apple, biscuits and some strawberries. Rukia's eyebrows shot up as she watched the king approach her.

"What is that for?" She heard herself ask as she eyed the items in his hands. He put them down on the bed and scratched the back of his head.

"Well, when I noticed that you weren't at breakfast, I made sure to get you some." He said and shrugged. Rukia's eyes widened a bit, then narrowed into slits again.

"Why would you-'' She began but was cut off when the man in front of her rolled his eyes.  
"I didn't want you to starve. Besides its not poisoned or anything, don't worry." He said and walked over to his window. She noticed that his drapes were drawn and that the light in the room was coming from a few candles placed on all the available surfaces. Shrugging her shoulders, she took a strawberry and removed the stem before popping it into her mouth. She kept watching him as he looked at the drapes as if he was looking out of the window. The man in front of her never ceased to intrigue Rukia and she wondered what made him so different. _Is it the way he dresses?_ She wondered as she took a look at what he was wearing. He had a normal cotton shirt on with a sleeveless over jacket. His breeches looked like any other breeches, though they sat a bit tighter than most of those Rukia had seen. His leather boots were also very normal. _No… It's not the clothes. Personality?_ She had to admit that he was not like anyone she had ever met. He argued with her where other people never would. He was straightforward with her when no one else was. Absentmindedly, Rukia bit into a biscuit.

"Hey midget, do you have a library here?" Ichigo asked, pulling her from her thoughts. In-between bites of biscuit, she nodded and told him she would show him when she was done. He just nodded and kept looking at the drapes. It had started raining outside and the pitter-patter of the water on the roof and window filled the room with dread.  
"What's wrong?" Rukia asked when the orange haired man sighed. His amber eyes met her violet ones and she thought she saw him smile.

"I don't like the rain." He said after some time. Rukia nodded her agreement and ate her apple.

_Bad things happen when it rains…_ Ichigo thought as he took a step closer to the window to pull the drapes apart and look down at the front of the castle. Something caught his eye and he turned back to Rukia.

"Are you expecting someone?" He asked her and she furrowed her brows.

"No… Not that I know of." She said, getting up and walking to his side so she too can see out of the window. There, in front of the castle, were two horses. One was chocolate brown and the other was sandy, almost like Yutaka's horse. Rukia's eyes lighted up and she literally jumped to the door.  
"Let's go see who it is!" She said and smiled at Ichigo. He smiled back at her and followed her downstairs, wondering who it could be.

"Ah, your highness." Byakuya's voice said when Ichigo and Rukia arrived at the front door. "Am I correct if I say that you requested the presence of these two people in Lancaster?" The count pointed his hand gracefully at the two people who had cloaks covering their heads. Ichigo gave Byakuya a puzzled look and glared at the two suspicious looking characters.

"Hello your highness!" A cheerful voice said and removed his hood; in front of the orange haired man, stood a blond man with a fan in his hand. Ichigo did a double take.

_What the hell is he doing here? _Ichigo thought as he studied the man. The second person removed his hood to reveal a purple head of hair. Ichigo blinked as he looked into the blond man's wife's face.

"Yoruichi? Kisuke?" He said and stared at them.

"So you know them?" Byakuya asked, his face never displaying any emotion. Without thinking, Ichigo nodded.

"Yes, my Lord, I requested their presence." The orange haired man confirmed and looked at Urahara questioningly. The blond man smiled at him mischievously and fanned his wet face.

"Orihime?" Rukia called when she saw the girl slinking past with some sheets. The auburn haired women looked up and smiled brightly at the petite Lady Kuchiki, pretending to see her for the first time that day.

"Please get these guests some towels and show them to the two spare rooms in the west wing." She said and nodded to the purple haired woman.

"Oh that's quite all right. We're married-'' Kisuke began to say but was cut off by Yoruichi, who grabbed his fan, hit him over the head and gave it back to him.

"OW, woman!" He said silently, rubbing his head.

"Thank you malady." Yoruichi said and curtsied to Rukia.

"I'd love to!" The chipper young maid said and curtsied to Yoruichi and Kisuke. The purple haired woman grinned a feline grin at Orihime and followed her. Her husband smiled at Ichigo again and lifted his eyebrows before hurrying after his wife.

Byakuya looked at the two people still standing there and glared at the king. After that, he turned on his heel and glided down the hall.

"Geesh. Doesn't he ever just rest?" Ichigo asked, scratching the back of his head. He was rewarded for his comment by a sharp jab in the ribs from Rukia.

"Idiot." She muttered and started to stomp off.

"Oh, no. You're not going anywhere." Ichigo said and grabbed her arm. She yanked out of his grip and crossed her arms over her chest.  
"What?" She huffed.

"You said you were going to show me the library…"

Rukia blinked up at him, all traces of her previous anger towards him wiped off her face. The corner of her mouth tugged up a bit and she gave one little nod. It was enough. When she turned around again, he followed her.

…

The orange haired man had never seen such a big library before, and he stood, amazed at not only the size, but the amount of books in it. Everywhere he looked there was a different book of a different size and colour. It was amazing and Ichigo couldn't help but smile.

"Here." Rukia said and got a book down from one of the neat shelves. He would have thought that she was too short to reach where the book was, but she stood on her toes and got it with ease. "This is my favourite book." She handed it to him and although it was thin, the brown eyed man could feel that it had been read a lot.

"What is it?" He asked, partly out of curiosity and partly because she looked at it so fondly.

"It's about a girl who falls in love with a prince, but she can never have him, because…" And on she went, telling the orange haired man about the story in the book. He listened to every word and asked the right questions when she paused. They spent the entire day in the library, telling each other stories in books they have read, reciting poems and arguing about concepts, all the while ignoring the rain outside.

Before they knew it, it was time for dinner.

"Thanks midget." Ichigo said as they parted ways to go and clean up before heading down for the evening meal. She backhanded him on his stomach and he cursed at her.

"Fool." He heard her say as she walked away.

Ichigo looked at her retreating form and felt like chuckling to himself. She had brightened up his day a bit. He had to admit that the rain wasn't his best friend, and he hated to admit that she took away some of the sadness that had descended upon him when he woke up and saw that it was a cloudy, rainy day. Ichigo pushed himself away from the wall and wandered through the hallways aimlessly.

"Oh! Your majesty!" Someone said when they ran into him. Ichigo fell on his butt and got up rubbing it.

"Ah! You idiot! Why don't you watch where you're going?" Ichigo asked as he looked up into amber eyes, not unlike his own. The orange haired man cursed internally at his momentary flare of temper in front of someone other than Rukia.

"I apologize." The man with the pink hair said and bowed deeply. "Bumping into you was not intentional." Ichigo nodded to the man and couldn't help but shudder at the creepy smile that now took residence upon the other man's face.

"May I introduce myself? My name is Szayel Aporro Granz, knight of Lancaster." The man with the pink hair said and bowed again.

"Kaien Shiba, King of Camelot. It's nice to meet you." Ichigo replied and also bowed a bit. Although Ichigo knew that this Szayel already knew who he was, he felt like it was the right thing to do to introduce himself. The sinister sneer on the man's face never left and it sent chills down the orange haired man's body. _This guy has the same rank as me…_ Ichigo couldn't help but notice. He smiled to Szayel and headed down the hallway again, not noticing the still wide grin on the other man's face.

Ichigo quickly cleaned up and went down for dinner. He was quite curious to see why Yoruichi and Kisuke were there, and he made his feet walk faster. Kisuke was Kaien's advisor and friend and Yoruichi was Kisuke's wife. It was strange for them to just show up out of thin air.

_Or maybe it isn't…_ Ichigo couldn't help but wonder. The two people were sly and strange, and they did not do things normally.

"Your majesty!" Kisuke's voice fluttered through the hall when Ichigo arrived at the table. He nodded to the man, who now sat next to him, and nodded to Rukia who sat on the other side of him. Throughout the evening meal, Kisuke and Yoruichi smiled and chatted with the rest of those at the table and Toshiro, Yutaka, Renji and Uryū kept glancing at them from their places.

"What the hell?" Renji asked when he saw the blond man arrive at the table before dinner started.

"I agree, this is somewhat strange…" Uryū asked and pushed his glasses up his nose. Yutaka just shrugged and Toshiro narrowed his eyes but held his tongue. Ichigo shook his head at Renji when the redhead tried to ask him about their new guests. After that, the substitute king didn't hear much from Renji's side of the table.

"What are you doing here?" Ichigo asked the blond man quietly during dinner. He made sure no one else could hear him as he whispered to Urahara.

"Why, Ichigo… Can't we come and check that everything is going smoothly?" He asked in the same hushed voice that Ichigo had used seconds ago. Immediately, the orange haired man's eyes shot to the people at the table, but sure enough, their eyes never looked away from their conversations.

"Something is going on." Ichigo said, suspicious of the blond man.

"Nonsense!" Urahara said and opened his fan, covering the lower part of his face with it. "We are here to observe and help where we can."

Ichigo narrowed his eyes, but accepted Kisuke's excuse. After that, dinner passed without anything special happening.

…

As Ichigo lay in his bed that night, he couldn't help but think about what he had heard that night before going to the beach. _Three days._ He thought, as he folded his arms behind his head, knowing that he won't be able to sleep for a while. _Tomorrow is the third day. What could they have meant? Who are those two men? _He kept wondering about it, but after a while he just gave up and rolled over to go to sleep.

**Righty… So I hope it came out okay. Sorry if I'm taking longer to update… I don't have amazing inspiration for this fic. But don't worry, if I start something, I'll finish it. I just need your help please! **

**Right… so a few things. I know many people think that Gin is the creepiest (or most awesome) guy in Bleach, but to me, Szayel Aporro Granz is the creepiest. He just sends shiver down my spine with his fraccίon and stuff. And not in the good way. All I can say is that if I ever see him on the street, I would run away from him as fast as my feet could carry me.**

**And then… To some of you who like Orihime (And I know there aren't that many of you since this is an IchiRuki fic) I am very sorry if she doesn't appear a lot. She will in due time, play her part. I must say I don't hate the poor girl, but she isn't my favourite character. So if you want to see her some more, please let me know. And I had to make her a maid… Sorry! *Blush* (To those who don't like it anyway)**

**So thank you for sticking with me! **

**Ps. Is my writing style okay? I mean, as you have seen; if it is sort of in Rukia's POV I talk about Ichigo as Kaien. Is that okay? Or should I just keep calling him Ichigo? AND as you can see, the asterisk means a change of point of view in the same scene. Other wise it will be indicated like so: ... **

**REVIEW for brownie points! ;) Nah I'm kidding… Just please… Review and tell me what you think? PLEASE?**


	7. Realisations and a bad vibe

**Well HELLO~~! How long has it been? A few years? Months? Weeks? Maybe like two or three days? *Chuckling nervously* All right, so I'm back REALLY QUICK like, with an update. I don't know why, but I am. Oh wait, I know why… I overcame my writers block! THANK YOU DARKLOVER! Now you guys get another chapter really fast! ;) Hehe *Bowing* Thank you, thank you! BTW I'm soo sorry! I changed the chapters around, so some of you who have already reviewed my previous chapter couldn't review the last one! I'm sorry master! **

**KAY! So a few things, before you start on this chapter. I apologize beforehand if Ichi is a bit OOC. Read my author's note at the end to see my reason for this horrible feat. **

**Another thingy… I want you guys to vote! It's lame and small, but I want to know what you think! See A/N at the end! **

**~Disclaimer: I do NOT own Bleach… Okay give me a second to get over this… RIGHT! I'm good to go! *Wipes away tear***

_**The course of true love never did run smooth… ~ William Shakespeare**_

* * *

**Chapter 7 ~ Realisations and a bad vibe**

Rukia was the first to wake up. After yesterday's little mishap, her brain automatically woke her up earlier. Her feet met the cool tiles as she slipped off her be and she sighed as she pulled her drapes apart, revealing a grey morning. It was still very early, and some clouds were hovering close to the earth, making the already grey sky even darker. There were no sounds apart from Rukia's breathing and her soft footsteps on the ground. She opened her door and padded out, looking for anyone who was awake. She didn't know why she was wandering around, but something told her it was because of this odd…_feeling?_ No, it wasn't really a feeling more than it was a vibe. Something about the castle felt icier than before, but the petite Lady of Lancaster shrugged it off and allowed her feet to carry her forward once again. She was still wearing her nightgown, though she didn't mind the cool breeze that seemed to whisper through the hallways. When the raven haired girl looked up again, she saw the door to Kaien's room. She blinked a few times, trying to come to terms with the fact that once again, she had ended up walking towards him. Her hands curled and uncurled over and around each other when she saw that his door stood open slightly. She took a step closer and peeked into the inch of open door. She looked to where she knew he would be sleeping, but she retreated from the door when she realized that she couldn't see anything in the dark room.

She sighed again and allowed her feet to take her back to her room, where she got dressed and sat until she could hear movement in the castle.

Before Hinamori could open her door, Rukia stood and opened it for her. The petite raven haired girl was already dressed in a light pink dress and her hair was already brushed out.

"Oh!" Momo exclaimed when the door opened so unexpectedly. "Malady! You are awake already!" She said and put a glass of water down on the dresser when Rukia allowed her entrance to her room. The liquid in the glass had a caramel tinge to it.

"Hinamori… What were you planning to do with that?" The raven haired girl asked and eyed to glass of water.

"It's sugar water malady. It helps one refresh." She said and shrugged her small shoulders. Rukia smiled slightly and took a sip of the water. It was nice and she finished the glass slowly, savouring the sweetness on her tongue. Just as she was smiling at her chambermaid, someone burst through Rukia's door.

"Kyaaa!" The blond haired man said as he skipped into her room. "Good morning Miss Kuchiki." He said and bowed to her. The violet eyed woman eyed him and nodded to Hinamori. She would catch the hint that Rukia would call for her later on. She curtsied and walked out the door, closing it behind her.

"You know my name, but I'm unsure of what yours is." Rukia said and curtsied to him. A broad smile flickered over the blond man's face.

"I am Kisuke Urahara." He said picking up her hand to kiss it. Rukia felt a smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

"Pleased to meet you." She replied solemnly.

"Now… Has the king been behaving?" He asked and opened the fan that seemed to be glued to his right hand. For the first time, Rukia noticed that this man also carried a cane with him, though he never used it for its normal purposes. She shrugged it off mentally and looked at him again.  
"What do you mean?" She asked, unsure of what he wanted her to say. Kisuke laughed and shook his head.

"He's a nice guy…" He said as an explanation. Rukia scratched her arm, still not comprehending. "Do you like him?" Kisuke asked and jiggled his eyebrows at her suggestively. Rukia could feel the blush creeping up her neck and into her cheeks, but she shook her head, and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I… I do not like him!" She answered and he looked at her thoughtfully. She didn't know why it felt so wrong to like him… a little bit… but every bone in her body wanted to deny that she might like him at all. Wasn't she supposed to like him? And marry him? She was quite confused with the emotions and thoughts in her head, so she tried shut them off like she usually did. Then he shrugged and smiled at her again. Rukia sighed and thought of what her brother always told her; _Emotions are useless._ She had always lived by what he had told her and brought her up with, but it all changed three days ago, and Rukia didn't know why. Well she had some idea of why, but she refused to listen to her brain.

"Well, all righty then!" The blond man said and winked at Lady Kuchiki before walking out of her room, at a much more leisurely pace. Rukia frowned as she kept watching the door until Hinamori walked in again.

"Were you listening?" She asked her chambermaid bluntly. The brown haired girl's cheeks immediately fired up and she nodded honestly. "What do you think that was all about?" Momo shrugged and looked at her with a confused expression on her face.

"He's weird…" the chambermaid said with a giggle. Rukia nodded vigorously in agreement. They cracked up after that, and like most of the times, the petite girls found friendship in each other.

…

"Hey Kurosaki…" Uryū said and closed the door behind him. The orange haired man's eyebrows shot up as he ran his hand through his hair. "We have a problem." The trademark scowl set into place again as the owner of it looked at the knight questioningly.

"What's wrong?" He asked informally and gestured to the door.

"Yukata is sick and he won't come out of his and Renji's room or let anyone in there." The raven haired man pushed his glasses up his nose as he walked beside his friend to Yukata and Renji's room. Ichigo immediately paused and Uryū stopped and waited for the man to collect his bearings.

"What…?" The orange haired man asked and forced his feet into motion again. _Strange…_ He thought as he walked. Uryū simply nodded and they turned a corner revealing Renji and the door to his room.

"…No! Renji stay outside!" They heard a voice say from the other side of the door.

"Fuck it! Yukata! Open this damned door!" The redhead shouted, pounding his fist on the wood. The three men stood helplessly listening as a violent retching came from the room.

"What is going on?" A voice asked from the hallway to the three men's left. Toshiro was walking up to them at a quick pace, a questioning look on his face.

"Yukata!" Ichigo tried this time. He knocked softer than the redhead did. "Come on man, open the door." He tried to reason with the dark haired man on the other side, but his attempts failed as he just heard Yukata throwing something at the door.

"What the hell is going on?" The short white haired knight asked and huffed, putting his hands on his hips.

"The stupid idiot won't open the door!" Renji yelled and kicked the wood, after which he yelped and brought his foot up to rub his now throbbing toe.

"Yukata is sick." Uryū said, calmly. Ichigo scratched the back of his orange hair, but paused mid-scratch when he thought of something.

"Ishida, go to the Count and ask him to get a hold of a healer. And tell him it has to be a girl." Shooting him an incredulous look, Uryū nodded and walked down the hall swiftly.

…

Byakuya felt something _off_ the moment when he woke up. There was a strange atmosphere in the castle, but he couldn't put his finger on what the cause might be. A faint knock on the door to his study had the count looking up.

"My lord?" He heard from the other side of the door. Byakuya put the quill he had been writing with, down and called for the person on the other side to come in. The door swung open to reveal one of the knights the king had brought with him.

"Good Morning my Lord." The man said with a nod. The dark haired man nodded, his face passive as always. "My lord, one of the king's knights, Yukata Nishio is sick. He has been retching all morning and won't allow the King access to his chambers. My king requests a healer to tend to him. Preferably female." The man said and bowed. Byakuya was mildly impressed. This man made all the facts known. He was resourceful and Byakuya admired the King's choice of knights.

"Very well." He said. "Suί-Fēng?"

Byakuya could see that the knight almost fell on his back when she suddenly popped up next to him.

"Yes my lord?" She asked and bowed.

"Please find Miss Inoue." He said smoothly and nodded to the knight. "She will fetch the healer. You may wait outside."

* * *

_Geez. Who put a stick up his ass?_ The dark haired knight couldn't help but wonder as he stood outside the Count's study, waiting for the short haired girl to reappear. Something weird was going on and Uryū's eyebrows pulled together like Kurosaki's as he tried to figure out what was going on. _Why won't Nishio let anyone into the room?_ He wondered.

A few breaths later, he heard footsteps coming down the hall. He looked up and into the face of the Count's second in command. The dark haired knight felt like snorting. _More like his servant._ Uryū could see that the lady had some authority, but the way she followed orders frightened him a bit, even though he was also one who would rather stick to the rules.

"Sir?" She said and stepped away to reveal a very beautiful girl with big grey eyes and auburn hair. She smiled at him and Uryū blinked.

_This girl is different._ He immediately thought, but instead of shying away and freezing, Uryū kicked himself into motion and bowed his head in a greeting to her. Her cheeks turned rosy as she curtsied back. The dark haired lady had long since disappeared into the Count's study and Ishida Uryū lead Inoue down the hall to Renji and Yukata's room. He purposely made his steps slower so he can walk beside her as he showed her the way.

"What is wrong with him?" She asked softly, unsure.

"He is throwing up and won't come out of the room." Uryū said and noticed that the girl was carrying a little bag in her hand. He concluded that she had supplies in there.

"Don't worry!" She said cheerfully and smiled broadly. "I'll fix him up before you can say 'beans and syrup'! But why would you say beans and syrup anyway, I mean it's not something everyone says all the time. Unless of course you like beans and syrup, like I do, then you might say it a lot!" Uryū blinked as she beamed at him. His lip curled up a bit, allowing his face to liven up in a small smile, as he thought of how beans and syrup would taste. He discarded the thought immediately and shuddered internally, knowing those two things just won't go together.

"Here." He said and turned the corner. The three men were still standing there, trying to coax Yukata in coming out of the room.

"Hello." Inoue said and curtsied to the men in front of the door. They all nodded to her and immediately stood back to allow her access to the door. She lifted a dainty hand and knocked on the door gently.

"I said GO AWAY!" Nishio called from the other side. All the men sighed, but Inoue smiled and knocked again.

"Sir? Please let me in? I'm here to help…" She asked sweetly. There was a shuffling behind the door and Uryū heard something heavy scrape across the floor. _No wonder they couldn't get in that room._ He thought and admired Nishio's strength, even whilst sick. The door opened a little bit and they could see Yukata's face peeking out. He looked terrible. The healer immediately obstructed the men's view of their friend and curtsied to Yukata. Almost instantly, the door opened wider, though Uryū never saw the dark haired knight in the door. The auburn haired girl squeezed herself through and closed the door behind her. For a few seconds they could only hear muffled voices, then all of a sudden, the girl let out a squeal. He didn't know why he did it, but when he heard that squeal, he took a step closer to the door, but caught himself before bursting in.

"How did you know that would work?" Hitsugaya asked Kurosaki. The brown eyed man simply lifted his shoulders in a shrug and walked off. The rest of the men standing in front of the door took that as their queue to get going as well.

…

There was a lot of commotion before breakfast, and Rukia couldn't help but wonder what was going on. When the king situated himself next to her at the table, she saw an opportunity to find out what was happening.

"What's going on?" She asked him silently so as not to bother her brother. He didn't particularly like her to show her emotions.

"Yukata is sick." He said in the same hushed tone. Rukia nodded and took a bite of her eggs.

"I hope he feels better soon." She said and watched Kaien's mouth curl up into a ghost of a smile.

"That man is tough. He'll be fine." He replied and spread some marmalade on his bread. She nodded again, knowing that he was right. So far, what Rukia had seen of the dark haired knight made it easy to believe that he will be fine within no time.

"Besides, Inoue is with him." The orange haired man added in between bites. Rukia clenched her hand under the table in a personal smile. She didn't dare change her facial expression in front of Count Kuchiki. The raven haired girl didn't know why, but her brother's influence over the years has caused her to become icy and almost emotionless. Yes, she had a short temper, but other than slight anger now and then, and a small smile when meeting someone new, she didn't really show any emotions.

"He'll be fine." She said, absolutely sure of herself. Orihime was the best healer they had. Byakuya had offered for the auburn haired girl to be treated as a healer, given other accommodations and tasks, but Inoue had refused and said that she would serve as a maid and heal when she was needed. Rukia often thought that Orihime was a strong willed girl and she respected her. The two of them were on good terms, but Rukia mostly spent her time with her chambermaid or alone.

"Your highness?" Someone said from the other side of the table. When Rukia looked up, she saw the lady with the purple hair addressing Kaien.

"Yeah?" He replied, not really paying attention.

"What changes do you plan on making in the kingdom once you're married?" She asked. There was a feral grin on her face as she spoke to him. Rukia, wondering what his response would be, watched him out of the corner of her eye.

"Eh…?" He managed, before scratching the back of his head again. Rukia noticed that he seemed to do that a lot when he was thinking. "Haven't really thought about it, I guess." He said and continued with his food.

"But what would you like to do first?" She asked and placed her chin on her hands. Rukia didn't bother hiding her curiosity and was now full on staring at him.

* * *

_What would Kaien say…? The horses… No. The, uhm, servants? No, that's not it! What would he say!_ A drop of sweat ran down Ichigo's neck as he frantically searched his brain for a solution to his problem. He couldn't understand what Yoruichi was up to. Did she want him to deliberately lie in front of the Count? His brown eyes shot to Rukia, who was staring at him intently. Her violet eyes made him think of something. _Violets… FLOWERS! YES!_

"I'm going to change the gardens to Lady Kuchiki's liking." He said, breathing out the stress he had held in for a few seconds. Yoruichi's golden eyes grew and she was obviously impressed with his answer. He didn't dare look at Rukia. If he saw something similar to gratefulness in her eyes, it would be harder for him to just hand her over to the real King of Camelot.

"That's a splendid idea, your highness!" Kisuke said from next to him. The blond man was fanning himself and had a big grin on his face. Ichigo scowled and tried to keep himself from hitting the man.

_Such a pain in the ass…_ He thought to himself as he looked at Urahara. The man simply could not mind his own business. Even in Camelot, he would occasionally pop up out of nowhere and 'check-up' on Ichigo. It was annoying.

When breakfast was finished, everyone headed in their own direction. Some went to the library, and others went for a ride on the horses. Renji went to go check up on Yukata, and the other two knights followed him.

"Kaien…" He heard a voice next to him.

"Hmm?" He said and looked down into Rukia's eyes. As soon as their eyes connected, Ichigo didn't want to look away. For some reason it felt like he was falling into those violet orbs. He shook himself mentally and lifted his furrowed eyebrows at her.

"Would you like to join me for a stroll?" She asked him and smiled slightly. Her question had his eyebrows drawing closer together and his brain spinning.

_Is it because of what I said about the gardens?_ He wondered.

"Yeah, sure midget." He said and shrugged. He didn't have a reason not to.

At the mention of the word midget, Rukia's eyes momentarily darkened, but she seemed to look past it. Ichigo held out his arm to her in a way that he knew his King would. She blinked a few times, but placed her petite hand in the crook of his elbow. Her hand was warm through his shirt, and the orange haired knight liked the feel of it there.

They walked through the castle to the gardens in a tangible silence, and when they finally walked out the door and into the gardens, Rukia removed her hand from his arm.

* * *

She retracted her hand and let it hang by her side as she looked at the tall man in front of her. What he had said about the gardens had really sent the raven haired girl on an up and down carriage ride in her head. It was sweet, but it also seemed as if he had thought of it on the spot.

"What's up midget?" He asked her when she didn't move.

"I'm not a midget you fool." She hissed and Kaien smirked, satisfied. The orange haired man shook his head and chuckled.

"Come on. You said a stroll, not let's-stand-here-and-do-nothing." He said and walked down the steps onto the pathway that leads through the gardens. Rukia took a deep breath and tried not to burst from irritation. She didn't understand how he could be so kind and considerate the one minute and so infuriating the next. Instead of fuming over him calling her a midget again, though, she followed him.

"Where are you going?" She asked pointedly and crossed her arms over her chest as she walked beside him. She noticed that she took two steps forward for every single one he took. It resulted in her walking really fast.

"I don't know…" He said honestly. "I'm taking a stroll." Rukia rolled her eyes at his logic and bumped his arm with hers.

"Silly." She breathed and slowed down her pace. "Calm down. It's as if you have somewhere to go, which you don't, by the way. So slow down and stroll." She emphasized her words by using her hand to gesture a slow movement. The orange haired man looked like he wanted to snort.

"Yeah, whatever." He said and put his hands on his hips. He was still a few feet ahead of her, and she sighed as she walked up to him.

"Are you ever even a little polite?" She asked him and narrowed her eyes. He snorted again. "Guess not." She muttered and walked next to him for a few meters. They didn't really talk to each other, but the silence wasn't awkward.

"Hey Rukia?" He asked after a while. She blinked, and surfaced in her mind.

"Hmmm?" She said and looked up at him.

"You're weird." He said and scratched the back of his head. The petite raven haired girl paused and blinked up at him, her eyebrows slowly pulling together.

"HEY!" She retorted and balled her hands into fists. "You're the one who's weird, carrot-top!"

"Yeah well at least I'm not short!" He said and laughed at her. A vein in Rukia's forehead seemed to burst as she stepped on his toe.

"OW!" He said and kneeled to give it a few rubs. "That was unnecessary!" He said when he got up again.

"That was for calling me short _and _weird!" She said and crossed her arms over her chest. The orange haired man sighed and slouched a bit.

"What I meant was that you're weird because you act one way around your brother, and another way around everyone else. Why is that?" He asked her solemnly. Rukia stared up at him, dumbfounded. He was the first one ever to notice that change in her character, and now that he had, she didn't know what to say. He was right of course, but she only acted differently in front of him… _That's why he noticed._ She realized and felt the walls in her mind go up. _I have to start acting the same all the time. It's deceiving if I don't.  
_The orange haired man saw the reserve on her face and immediately shook his head.

"Don't act around me like you act around him." He said quickly. "It's not really you." She was stunned by his observation. It took her a second to build up her walls again, and in less than a minute, he broke them down into dust.

"I still don't know why he has so much power over you." He mumbled and continued through the trees. It was peaceful in the garden and Rukia could see that he relaxed a little bit.

"He's my brother. I have to listen to him and do what he says." Rukia said in an even tone. She had a lot of respect for Count Kuchiki, all of it, the orange haired man wouldn't understand. He snorted at her comment and rolled his eyes. The raven haired girl smiled at his laid-back attitude and shook her head. _This is the man I'm supposed to marry? HA! At least I won't ever be bored!_ She thought with a smirk as she stared at the back of his head. It was true. In three days, this man crept into the Ice Princess's heart and he wouldn't leave. She felt connected to him on a level completely different from any other she had ever felt. The violet eyed girl sighed and caught up to him in a heartbeat.

"So tell me about Camelot." She urged with a smirk, nudging his arm. He rolled his eyes and smirked right back at her.

"Well, it's-'' he began, but was cut off when the sound of an arrow whizzed right past Rukia's ear. She hardly had time to gasp as the arrow planted itself in Kaien's chest, right next to his collarbone. The short girl had been walking a step in front of him and the arrow missed her by an inch. Rukia's eyes bulged as the King's face contorted in pain. He grabbed at the arrow, but it was imbedded in his flesh, and he couldn't remove it himself.

"Kaien…" She breathed as another swift arrow whizzed past her. This one missed, landing in the ground next to the King's now crouching form.

"No!" She said firmly and did the next thing she could think of. She threw her tiny body over the King's, in an attempt to shield him. "If you shoot him again, the Lady of Lancaster dies with him!" She said loud enough for the shooter to hear. The king's head was where Rukia's heart was, and she knew that if the person aimed for his head, he would kill her too. She stood her ground, holding her arms over his back knowing that the shooter wouldn't dare harm her. Shivers ran down Rukia's spine as she heard a deep chuckle come from one of the trees…

* * *

**Muhahaha cliffy! **

**I love you darklover! You are my muse! XD**

**Ruler thingy means change of POV in same situation... Sorry, the asterisk thing didn't work!**

**Okay, so first things first! Ichigo is a bit OOC because… His and Rukia's relationship is as following: They argue, she hits him, he swears at her, they talk about deep things, they understand each other, he risks his life to save her, blah blah blah… **

**Well that's the backbone of it anyways… ;) So no one is allowed to complain to me that Ichi would never say things like that! In my mind he will… But ONLY to Rukia! So neh! **

**Second, I just want you to know, Ichigo's hair is long in this fic. You know… As long as it was when he came out of the precipice world with his father? KAYA! So hot… *Drool***

**Then, the vote… Okay so as you know, in the previous chapter, Ichigo got Rukia breakfast. Now as **_**Alyssa**_** is saying, this seems strange, seeing as he was still a bit mad at her for putting sugar in his bed. I agree. It is strange, but I also think it works… It shows that they don't just fight all the time and that he cares about her, as darklover said in her PM to me. I want you guys to tell me what you think. Should I take out the part about the breakfast, or should I leave it as it is? I would like all my readers (current and future) to be happy with this story. So let me know? **

**REVIEW please? The more reviews you guys leave, the more it motivates me to write… THUS THE CONCLUSION: The more you review, the faster I will update! ;) **

**So please. Tell me what you think? XD **

**Ps: Don't you just freaking LOVE Urahara? He's the fucking best thing ever! SO COOL! Anyway! ;) **


	8. Everything I need

**I am back with a new chapter! I promise my updates will come sooner than last time when it took up to a month for me to finish a chapter… I was really busy! I am sorry! But no… This week I still have holiday, so I'm going to try and write a few chapters ahead, so I've got a few ready for when you guys want me to update really badly. :D **

**So today I'm going to bless you guys with the real trouble… It's ALL about to start. I don't know how long this story is going to be, but I've got a lot planned for it, so let's hope you guys enjoy it neh?**

**~Disclaimer: I do NOT own Bleach. I repeat, I DO NOT OWN BLEACH! But if I could steal it I so would! ;)**

**You're cynical and beautiful,  
****You always make a scene,  
****You're monochrome delirious,  
****You're nothing that you seem.**

**I'm drowning in your vanity,  
****You're laugh is a disease.  
****You know you're everything I need. **

**Everything you are,  
****Falls from the sky like a star.  
****Everything you are,  
****Whatever, ever you want.**

**~Dizzy, by The Goo Goo Dolls**

* * *

_**Chapter 8 ~ Everything I need**_

"I should have known you would stand in my way, malady." A voice said from above her. Rukia whipped her head up, looking for the source of it. She thought she knew who it was, but she couldn't be sure and she didn't want to be wrong.

"What has he ever done to you?" Rukia asked, anger blinding her.

"Nothing, really." He said. She heard leaves rustling then another laugh sounded through the air. She didn't move away from Kaien and kept her eyes on the trees. "But don't worry dear, I will get him eventually." The voice continued, but was fading and branches were rustling. Rukia cursed and moved her body off Kaien's.

"Rukia?" He asked and looked up at her. Where the arrow was in his arm, blood had stained his white cotton shirt and sleeveless leather jacket*. His breath was coming out in quick gasps and she could see that he was in pain.

"Come on." She said and crouched down to sling his good arm across her shoulders. "Can you walk?" He nodded and scowled at her.

"It's in my arm, not my leg, Midget." He said and walked forward with her. She snaked an arm around his waist and tried to carry some of his weight, but he refused. It was probably better anyway, seeing as the orange haired man was heavy.

"Amazing." Rukia muttered and Kaien chuckled sadistically.

"What is it?" He asked and looked at her. They walked at a pace that was fast enough to get them somewhere, but slow enough to not ask too much of the king.

"Even under the direst of situations, you are still able to be sarcastic." She shook her head. "You are one strange man Kaien Shiba." The tall man just laughed. Rukia sneaked a look at him. His face was pale and his breathing was still not normal. She couldn't help but smile a bit. She could see that he was acting as if it wasn't such a big deal. The dark haired girl admired him for being so strong willed. It was a quality that probably helped him on the battlefield a lot. Rukia's stomach twisted into knots as she thought about Kaien fighting, and she wondered how many wounds he had endured in his life.

"Hey Midget?" He asked softly. She looked up at him and resisted the urge to nudge him for calling her a midget.

"Yeah Carrot-top?" She replied and shifted her eyes forward again. They were almost at the steps to the castle.

"Thanks." He said and gave her shoulders the tiniest of squeezes. Rukia felt herself smile.

"Don't mention it." She said and she was sure he could hear the smile in her voice. She looked at him from the corner of her eye and saw a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He had paled even more, and Rukia wanted to jog up the steps and into the castle. When they finally reached the doors, Rukia had to let go of Kaien in order to open them. She quickly took in her previous position under Kaien's arm and led him into the castle.

"Eek!" Someone from Rukia's left squeaked. She swivelled her head and saw her chambermaid standing there. "Oh God…" She said and dropped the tray in her hands. Cups and saucers crashed on the floor, some shattering and others simply rolling or cracking.

"Momo!" Rukia exclaimed in relief. "Go find Renji Abarai and Uryū Ishida please?" Hinamori didn't look at the dropped tray again and ran off immediately. The dark haired girl wasn't sure how much longer she would be able to hold onto Kaien's heavy frame before toppling over. Her knees had started buckling when footsteps sounded through the hallway and Renji, Uryū, Hinamori and Toshiro came running towards them.

"This could be problematic." Uryū said when he saw his king and the wound next to his collarbone.

"Shit." Renji swore and Toshiro smacked him on his head.

"Uhm, could we please argue later… I can't support him anymore. I'm going to fall." Rukia said in a casual tone. Renji swore again and traded places with the petite woman. Relieved of the removal of the weight off her shoulders, she rolled her arms in their sockets to loosen the muscles.

"Oh, hey Pineapple-head." The king said weakly from next to Renji. The redhead rolled his eyes and gestured to Uryū to help. In some strange way unknown to the Lady of Lancaster, they positioned him so Uryū was carrying Kaien's feet and Renji was supporting his torso. They managed this without jostling his shoulder which Rukia found amazing. Together they carried him to his room and Rukia ran off to tell her brother what had happened, leaving Toshiro and Hinamori staring at each other confused.

* * *

"What happened?" Hinamori asked next to Toshiro. He lifted his shoulders in a shrug and faced the brown haired girl.

"I don't know, but whatever it is, Ishida is right, it could be problematic." He replied and picked at a piece of thread on his shirt. Hinamori bit her lip and looked perplexed.

"I have to clean this up." She said after a while and nodded towards the shattered china on the floor. With those words, she walked off to the kitchen. Toshiro didn't move from that spot and ran his hands through his strange hair whilst he pondered over what had just happened. It was obvious that it had been an attempt at Ichigo's- no, at the kings life, seeing as everyone in the castle didn't know that he wasn't the real king of Camelot. Toshiro could imagine the shooter's surprise if he did kill off Kurosaki and the real Kaien Shiba shows up at his doorstep. It was quite ironic really. Hitsugaya snorted at his musings.

"Sir?" Hinamori said when she returned with a broom and a sweeping pan. She looked at him with a question mark on her face. Taking the pan from her hands, Toshiro kneeled on the ground and held it at an angle to make brushing the broken cups and things into it easier. She lifted her eyebrows a bit, then smiled at him weakly and began sweeping.

"Thank you." She said when he stood up from his kneeling position when she was done. She had picked up all the unharmed china and all the silverware and piled it into the tray again, so all she needed to do was pick up the dustpan and tray and leave. Toshiro smiled a bit when he saw that she had to carry the tray with two hands. Taking the tray from her he waited for her to lead the way to the kitchen. She smiled at him and together, they walked off down the hall.

…

Her brother immediately got up from his desk, when he heard the news, and followed Rukia to the king's chambers. He didn't say a word as she led him there, but it didn't bother her; he wasn't really one for small talk. The raven haired girl's stomach was still turning and twisting. It wasn't the blood, of that much she was sure. Only when they reached the door to his room did she realize what the strange feeling was; worry. It laced her organs and flowed through her veins like poison. Rukia swallowed air and opened the doors for Byakuya. He nodded to her and entered the room, Rukia following close behind.

The orange haired man was lying on his bed, with a piece of cloth underneath his injured shoulder. Rukia shook her head mentally; _that is not going to keep the blood from seeping onto the sheets. _The arrow was still in his shoulder and his breathing was still laboured. Rukia walked closer to his bed, making sure to not make a sound. Renji sat in a chair and his knuckles where white as he clenched and unclenched his hands into fists. A gasp sounded from the door as an auburn haired girl stormed into the room. He hand covered her mouth as she took in the man on the bed. Uryū Ishida was right behind her and squeezed past her into the room. A few moments later, a blond man and a lady with purple hair waltzed into the king's chambers. Both of them looked shocked and the man opened his fan and fanned himself nervously.

"What happened?" The lady with the purple hair –Yoruichi, if Rukia recalled correctly- asked Uryū. He shook his head as if to say 'I'll tell you later.' Inoue blinked a few times, then nodded and rushed to the orange haired man's side. Rukia noticed that she had all her supplies with her and watched her go to work on his arm. His eyes flew open as soon as she touched him and he kept his gaze on her as she carried on. He didn't flinch once and Rukia brought her hand up to her mouth to bite her nail as the worry spread throughout her small body.

* * *

His shoulder was on fire. As soon as the healer touched him, he wanted to cry out, but he bit the inside of his cheek and held still. He watched her as she took a very sharp looking dagger out of her little bag and cut his shirt to access his shoulder better. She cut all the cloth around the arrow off and he sighed as she destroyed his already ruined shirt and sleeveless jacket. Her hands where cool and soothed his scorching skin. Every time she so much as touched the piece of wood in his shoulder, a new wave of pain would blind him and shoot through his arm. He tried not to think about it, but he couldn't stop. It had become a chant in his head; _Ow. Ow. Ow. Fuck. Shit. Ow. Ow. Ow._ And there was nothing he could do but watch.

She used some ointment around the wound where the arrow was still stuck in his skin. The ointment seeped into the wound and Ichigo shut his eyes as it stung the living hell out of him. He squeezed his eyes shut tighter, and tighter. The deeper the ointment seeped, the tighter he shut his eyes. Suddenly a small, warm hand curled around his good shoulder's hand. As if it were instinct he turned his hand around and grabbed the small one as tightly as he could. It seemed that that hand was the only thing that could take it all away; the pain, the thoughts, everything.

Abruptly the tension in his shoulder released and a disgusting sucking noise filled the room. Ichigo immediately relaxed against his bed, but he never let go of that little hand. His eyes were still shut, but the pain was subsiding, and was being replaced by a numb sort of feeling. It was as if all the nerves in his shoulder didn't respond. It was bliss. He opened his eyes and could feel the colour slowly returning to his ghostly pale face. His eyes met Orihime Inoue's first, then travelled to the person standing next to him, holding his hand. Beautiful violet eyes met his worriedly and he smiled weakly at her. She smiled back and squeezed his hand a little. It was comforting. His eyes travelled back to the healer as he watched what she was doing. She had successfully cleaned the wound and removed the arrow. _That was probably what that sucking sound was._ He thought and furrowed his already pulled together eyebrows. He was surprised that he was still awake. He had thought that the pain would render him unconscious for at least a few minutes, but it never happened.

When Inoue had wrapped his shoulder and chest in bandages, she gave him strict instructions to not move for a while. All he could do was nod. Throughout the entire process, Rukia stayed there and held on to his hand. As long as he held onto hers, she didn't move her fingers. He was grateful that she was there, and she effectively got rid of his chanting.

At some time, he must have fallen asleep because when he opened his eyes again, it was dark outside. Rukia was still there, next to him. She was sitting on a chair and lying on her arms on his bed. Her breathing was deep and her one hand rested next to his. He smiled and watched her as she slept. She looked worried and her eyebrows were creased and pulled together. Ichigo tried to move his shoulder and sit up, and with his good arm and shoulder, he managed it. Even though he jostled the bed and moved around a lot, Rukia didn't wake up. Her eyebrows only pulled closer together. The orange haired man just smiled at her. He had gotten to know quite a bit about her in the past three days… like why she was called the ice princess. She acted like ice around her brother, and towards everyone else, she was cold and hard. _But not around me._ He thought and smiled down at the petite lady lying on his bed. Around him, she acted hot-headed and she would smack him whenever he insulted her. She challenged him and made him feel like a teenager again. She played jokes on him and pretended to always know better than him and she always, always, made him smile with her strange antics. Ichigo reached out and touched a lock of midnight black hair. He then dropped it and ran his fingers through her hair lightly, so as to not wake her up. The feather light touch of his fingers had her eyes fluttering open though, and he retracted his hand before she could see it.

"Hey…" She said and rubbed her eyes.

"Hello sleepy head." He joked and smirked at her. She rolled her eyes at him and slapped his arm half-heartedly. He shook his head at her.

"How is your arm?" She asked as she sat up straight. Ichigo immediately missed the slight weight of her arms on the bed. He cursed himself internally and tried to think about Kaien. He was doing this for him. Shrugging his good shoulder, Ichigo replied.

"It's fine."

Rukia looked at him sceptically and got up off the chair.

"Are you hungry?" She asked abruptly and walked to the door.

"Hey midget…" Ichigo asked and stopped her from exiting. She turned back and looked at him with raised eyebrows. "You're not going anywhere without me." He smirked and kicked his legs off the bed. Rukia's eyes grew and she rushed to his side, trying to push him back onto the bed. He shook her off easily and got up. His shoulder hurt a little if he moved it, but the numb feeling was still prominent. He guessed that it had been the ointment the healer had put on that made it numb and he hoped it would last longer.

"Oh, no. You're not going anywhere." She said and put her hands on her hips. Somewhere between all the commotions, she had changed into a nightdress and gown and had dainty pink slippers on her feet. Ichigo lifted his eyebrows and looked at her pointedly.

"Oh yeah? Or what midget?" He replied and started looking through his things for a shirt. As soon as he found one, he tactfully pulled the sleeve over his injured arm without hurting himself, and then shrugged his other arm and head through the other two holes. As soon as he was done, Rukia looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"Come on." He said and walked to the door. She followed him with her arms crossed over her chest and mumbled curses at him. "Which way to the kitchen?" She rolled her eyes and walked off in front of him. He smiled to himself and followed her down the hall. He couldn't help but notice how quiet it was and even though it was dark, he didn't think it was that late.

"Rukia?" He asked softly right behind her. She froze, which caused him to run right into her. She stumbled and he caught her with his good arm before she could fall and hit the ground.

She quickly wriggled out of his grasp and pointed a finger at him.

"Don't sneak up on me like that Carrot-top." She said and glared at him. He lifted a single eyebrow at her.

"I was behind you the entire time. You know that, Midget." He said and rolled his eyes. "Anyway…" he continued causing Rukia to roll her eyes at him once again. "Why is it so quiet?"

"We had dinner hours ago." She replied and started walking again. Ichigo's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "You've been out for quite a while."

"Oh." Was all he said when they reached the kitchen. There was a candle burning on the table and Rukia picked it up and walked to a door which Ichigo suspected was the pantry. She flipped the latch and opened the door, then walked in with the candle, causing all the light to disappear. The only evidence that there was of people living in the castle, was the soft glow of coals that were still hot on a slab of rock. Ichigo let out a breath as his stomach made a funny noise. With his good hand, he poked it.

"Here…" Rukia said as she came out with the little yellow flame flickering across her features. It made her look soft and vulnerable and Ichigo couldn't help the involuntary lift of his lips. In Rukia's hands, there was a jar with tea leaves in it, a brown paper bag and a glass bottle of honey. _Thank God she didn't put _that_ in my bed. _He thought as he eyed the honey. The petite lady put the items down on the table and moved to one of the many cherry wood cupboards in the kitchen. The stone floor was cool under Ichigo's feet and he regretted not putting on his boots before he came.

* * *

Rukia couldn't reach the cups. She stood on her tippy toes and stretched, but it was no use and she sighed. Unexpectedly, a warm body appeared behind her and she stiffened. The king reached into the cupboard and took out two cups. Rukia turned around and looked up into his eyes. His face was dark, seeing as the candle was behind him and Rukia froze. She was too close to him and she could feel the heat of his body radiating onto her skin. She stopped breathing and looked into his eyes. For a few seconds she was paralyzed, but when she moved again, she smirked and slipped out from in front of him.

"Do you know how to boil water?" She asked him and he rolled his eyes at her.

"I'm not an idiot, you know." He replied and started looking for the kettle. The raven haired lady rolled her eyes sarcastically and went back to the bread. When he found it, Rukia was busy taking out the bread and cutting it. Without a word she pointed him to the glowing coals and he nodded. There was a bucket next to the slab of rock and it was covered with a cloth. Rukia watched him lift the cloth and pour some of the water into the iron kettle then place it just like that, onto the coals. He did all of this without putting too much strain on his injured shoulder. It seemed as if he could still use his arm, to an extent, but the rest of the lifting and things he did with one arm. Rukia could tell he was really strong by just watching him work with one arm. The raven haired girl rolled her eyes and opened the honey, stuck a knife into it and spread it over the bread.

"You don't look like someone who can cook." He said and walked over to the table. Standing next to her, he watched her smear the honey on the bread. Checking, she saw that his injured arm was facing her, so she abandoned the idea of nudging him.

"I'm not cooking, you idiot. This is called making a sandwich." She said sarcastically, but smiled a bit to herself as she explained to him that she would sometimes wake up in the middle of the night and have a stomach ache. Usually it was from hunger, because she hadn't eaten in a certain amount of time. She would then come to the kitchen, make herself something to eat, then go back to bed.

"Why don't you get a servant to do it for you?" He asked her, curiously. She shrugged her shoulders and handed him the honey sandwich.

"They also need to rest." She said and sat down on one of the wooden three legged chairs at the table. The king took the bread from her and leaned against the table, taking a hesitant bite of the bread. Rukia rolled her eyes as she took a bite out of her own sandwich.

"So… You can cook?" He asked her in a joking way and watched her reaction. She pulled her mouth in a sarcastic line.

"I don't need to." She said and shrugged. "This is the only thing I make." She held up the bread in her hand to prove her point. He nodded and for a while they sat and ate in silence. Rukia couldn't help but sneak glances at him. Now that she had seen him without a shirt, she couldn't help but keep thinking about it. He had may scars on his chest, just like she thought he would, but he was also built, telling the Lady of Lancaster that he did a lot of physical labour. She wondered what there possibly was that he had to do which required physical labour. _He is a king_; she thought and looked at him as he took the last bite of his honey sandwich. She shook her head and finished hers as well. At that moment, the kettle started to boil. The gurgling and bubbling sound shook Rukia out of her reverie and sent her drifting towards the kettle. She lifted it by its handle and quickly put it down next to the table. The king watched her as she regained her grip again, and poured water into the cups then added the tea leaves. The water started to turn caramel brown as she stirred the liquid and added a little bit of honey to each cup. She then handed him the tea. He tasted it and swallowed quickly when he realized it was too hot. Rukia's mouth turned up as she watched him eye the tea. She laughed and curled her hands around her cup. She blew on it before taking a tiny sip, savouring the taste.

As soon as they were done, Rukia said good night to Kaien. She had decided that she couldn't sleep by his side again and that it would only send her mind spiralling out of control. It would make her think about him, and in truth, she wasn't sure whether she wanted to. He said good night to her too, and the two of them walked off in different directions, the flaming torches against the walls the only thing lighting their way.

…

When Ichigo woke up the next morning, the numbness had disappeared completely, causing the orange haired man to wince every time he moved his shoulder. When he was about to get up and go about his routine, a very lively Inoue danced into the room.

"Good morning your majesty. How do you feel?" She asked with a curtsy. Ichigo ran his hand through his hair and sighed.

"Can I get up?" He asked shortly and threw the sheets off his legs. The auburn haired girl's eyes grew as she shook her head jerkily.

"If your majesty moves around too much, you will rip your wound open." She said quickly and lifted her hands as if to stop him from getting up.

"Urg." He said and fell back on the pillows. He winced as his shoulder made contact with the bed.

"Please, your majesty must not be too active." She said again and came over to the bed side. Ichigo sighed. Her 'your majesty's' was getting on his nerves already and he hadn't even spent a lot of time with her. He sighed and sat up, allowing her to unwind his bandages so she could check the wound. Ichigo cursed as he realised something… His injured arm was his right arm. He felt his eyes grow as he looked at the sword in the corner of the room. Before he left, Kaien had given it to him and told him that he had to have it if he was going to pretend to be the king as it was the king's sword. Ichigo had never really noticed how special it was until he had held it in his hands. It gave off a sort of power and made the person who was bearing it feel in control. Ichigo had found it strange that the sword was perfectly balanced in his hands as well as in Kaien's. Ichigo shook himself as he thought about the consequences. He couldn't hold a sword with his right arm until it is healed. The orange haired man took a deep breath and tore his eyes away from the sword. He couldn't think about it… If he couldn't hold that sword, he couldn't defend himself properly. He could fight with his left hand and arm but it wouldn't be nearly as effective. He sighed and brought his attention back to the healer who was cleaning his wound again. This time she used a different ointment and Ichigo couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed that she wasn't using the same stuff as yesterday. When she was done, she wrapped him in clean bandages and took the other ones with her. She smiled at him brightly and he nodded to her before she shut the door behind her. The brown eyed man sat back against his pillows again and grumbled to himself. It was going to be a long day.

…

"My lord?" Suί-Fēng called and knocked on the Count's door.

"Enter." He said stoically and she quickly came in and shut the door behind her. Her eyes were big and there was a panicked expression on her face.

"Yes?" He asked, all his attention on the woman with the short hair.

"We might have a bit of a situation." She said in something similar to a whisper.

"What is it?" He asked and intertwined his fingers in his lap.

"The Grand Duke of Barrington is here." She said in the same volume. Her eyes were still wide and the Count thought he could see how nervous she was.

"Pull yourself together Suί-Fēng." He said in a calm voice. Inside, he was raging. _He dare come here? To my home? The nerve!_ He thought to himself as he kept up his cold exterior. "Where is he?" Byakuya continued and got up from his desk. Suί-Fēng took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a second.

"He is outside, in the courtyard." She replied and moved away from the door.

"Thank you." He said and nodded to her. "Make sure Rukia and the King Shiba stays out of the Grand Duke's sight." He said and Suί-Fēng nodded.

"Yes my lord." She said opening the doors. Byakuya smoothed his scarf and sleeves and stepped out of his study as soon as his second in command had disappeared.

…

Rukia could feel someone watching her as she walked next to Hinamori to Kaien's room. Her chambermaid had a tray with the king's breakfast on it in her hands, and she made casual chit chat with the raven haired girl. Rukia laughed and nodded at the appropriate places as they walked down the hall. Something wasn't right. The only person, who could watch Rukia without Lady Kuchiki seeing her, was Suί-Fēng. Violet eyes darted to every nook and cranny where a hiding place could be, but she never saw anyone. Finally sighing in defeat when they reached Kaien's room, Rukia opened the door for Hinamori.

"Good morning your highness." Momo said with a curtsy. Rukia just walked right in and sat on the chair next to his bed. Kaien rolled his eyes and gladly accepted the tray in the brown haired girl's hands.

Rukia had made sure that there were strawberries with his breakfast, as she wanted to see what he would do with them. She was curious as to why he had picked strawberries the other day, instead of some of the other fruit available. As soon as he saw the red fruit, he used his knife to cut it into thin slices which he then put on the slice of bread on his plate. Hinamori curtsied again and left the two alone in his room. Rukia felt much more comfortable in there with him and she could tell that she was no longer being watched. She sighed in relief and watched the king devour his breakfast. The violet eyed lady apprehended that he put those strawberries on and in almost everything. He added some to his orange juice and put some in the plain yogurt the servants bring from the village every few days. It was quite amusing to watch him.

"Do you eat those in soup too?" She asked sarcastically as he popped a strawberry into his mouth. The king looked at her and rolled his eyes.

"No, Midget. I only eat them when I can. Which I couldn't do two days ago when _someone_ ate the ones I kept for me." He said as soon as he had finished chewing. Rukia narrowed her eyes at him and took the last one in the bowl, taking a bite of it before he could try and steal it back.

"You gave those to me, you fool." She said and slapped his leg. He just snorted and Rukia finished her strawberry.

…

"I have a proposal for you, my Lord." The Grand Duke said as he sipped the tea that one of the servants had brought him. Byakuya simply tightened his grip on the cup in his hands. The saucer was already threatening to break thanks to the Count's grip, but he kept himself in check, making sure that it wouldn't.

"I have come to ask for your sister's hand." He continued calmly and took one of the biscuits in the middle of the tray.

"I'm afraid that isn't possible." Byakuya said in a monotone. "She is already arranged to marry someone else." The Duke's kind smiled sprang onto his face, though his eyes seemed slightly surprised.

"But surely, this suitor cannot be of a higher rank than I am, my Lord." He continued with confidence. A sharp crack came from Byakuya's fingers and when he looked down, the cup in his hand had perished. The Count despised this man. He ruled the land around Lancaster and Camelot. All of it belonged to him. All of it… accept the two kingdoms and it was all because Kaien Shiba had a higher rank than he did.

"I'm sure you understand the word no, Aizen." Byakuya said and gave his cup to a servant who had run his way when he gestured for her to come over. "Rukia is to wed Kaien Shiba, King of Camelot." He said with a glimmer of satisfaction in his heart. The Grand Duke's eyes grew and he smiled yet again.

"Oh, well that is unfortunate." He said and sipped his tea.

* * *

**You see what I did there? Added ****some**_** more **_**intrigue? Muhahaha I can be evil… Right? *Laughs nervously* So anyway… Okay I would especially like to know what you guys thought of the scene in the kitchen. I thought it was cute… I would also like to say that, please don't criticise it… Ichigo was able to get up and his arm didn't hurt because it was still numb. Note that when it wears off he can't move his arm as much. So yeah! **

*** You know those leather jacket thingies? Like those men wear under suits sometimes? I am going to draw one and put the link to the site where I will put it up on my profile… Would that work? I'll also draw some dresses that Rukia wear and what Byakuya wears… And the shoes that Rukia wears… I would like you guys to see what it looks like. **

**Go check out the songs I use… They're sort of like a soundtrack to every chapter… Hope you like it! **

**Now another thing; here, Ichigo isn't superhuman and can't heal and endure pain as much as he can in Bleach. Remember, here he is a mere human, and human's feel pain and have to stay in bed when they are injured. He got hurt… A freaking arrow in your shoulder should hurt like a bitch and it does, so don't tell me he is weak. He isn't! And he wants to get up remember? He doesn't want to just lie there. **

**Also, in this story, Ichigo is around 21 and Rukia is 18. Does that make sense? I hope so! **

**NOW… Please go and review! Tell me what you think? I would love to hear from you guys! LOVE YOU! PLEASE REVIEW! **

**Thank you! **


	9. Unknown feelings

**Oh it's always such a pleasure updating this story! I get a lot of reviews and story alerts! Please keep it up! I love it! Okay so the song I chose for this chapter is originally sung by Celine Dion, but the one I listen to and have on my computer is redone by the cast of Glee. Please go check it out! I thought it worked for this chapter! A very juicy IchiRuki part in this chapter. Enjoy it! **

**Thank you to: **_**lifecomplications**__**, ADVluv4life, Miku Alli, H00rWithAPen, Kyurikochan, darklover and pyon1234 **_**for reviewing! Please guys, go check out **_**darklover**_**'s story Ascension… It's really awesome and I loved it, neh? So go look! XD **

**~Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, but thanks to this sight, I can use Kubo Tite's characters as puppets in my own personal puppet show! Teehee! **

**I hear the ticking of the clock  
I'm lying here, the room's pitch dark  
I wonder where you are tonight  
No answer on the telephone**

**And the night goes by so very slow  
Oh, I hope that it won't end though alone**

**Till now I always got by on my own**  
**I never really cared until I met you**  
**And now it chills me to the bone**  
**How do I get you alone? How do I get you alone?**

**You don't know how long I have waited**  
**And I was going to tell you tonight**  
**But the secret is still my own**  
**And my love for you is still unknown, alone**

**~Alone, by Celine Dion**

* * *

**Chapter 9 ~ Unknown feelings**

The Grand Duke Aizen left before it was dark, and Byakuya breathed a silent breath of relief when the brown haired man mounted his horse. During the hours that he discussed Rukia and Lancaster with the Count, Shiba and Rukia stayed out of sight. The dark haired man wasn't sure about what Suί-Fēng did to keep them away from the main part of the house, but Count Kuchiki really didn't care.

"Kuchiki!" Someone called to him as he walked back to his study. Byakuya shut his eyes and counted to five in his head. If there was anything he hated more than people yelling at him, is people yelling at him disrespectfully.

"Yes?" he asked, in a voice thick with impatience. A very big, very scary looking guy came running down the hall, closely followed by a man with white hair.

"There was no sign of anyone around the castle." Kenpachi said, annoyed. "Damn bastards." He muttered and crossed his arms over each other.

"Nothing in the closest part of the village, either." Kensei replied as he too, muttered something about 'pricks'. Byakuya gave a stiff nod and looked into the white haired man's eyes.

"Where are Hisagi and Izuru?" He asked. Kensei threw his hands up in the air.

"'the hell should I know?" He said and snorted. "They've got the whole town looking out for anything suspicious." Kenpachi laughed his seemingly evil laugh.

"Idiots. Like we can't handle this ourselves." The dark haired man said and shook his head and appeared to remember something.

"Ichimaru is the farthest. I think he's in the Southern district." Kenpachi rolled his eyes as he spoke about Gin. Byakuya looked thoughtful for a moment before nodding.

"I want Kaien Shiba's shooter found." He said firmly, his voice devoid of all emotion.

"Yeah yeah, we know. We'll find him." Kensei said and also crossed his arms over his chest. Without another word, the Count of Lancaster turned around and walked to his office. The two men rolled their eyes and headed in the opposite direction.

"Who do you think it was?" Kensei asked as they walked. Kenpachi shrugged.

"Dunno, but we'll find the bastard." He said. At that moment, a head of pink hair came running around the corner.

"Kenny!" She shouted and jumped onto Kenpachi's back without batting an eyelash.

"Hey." Kenpachi greeted the girl whose head was now peeking over his shoulder. He didn't know how she did it, but the little girl on his shoulder could find him within ten minutes if he arrives anywhere. She was like a hunting dog that knew its prey like the back of its paw.

"Kenny two!" She said and smiled broadly at Kensei. The white haired man ran his hand down the length of his face and Kenpachi's whole face turned red.  
"I told you Yachiru. He's not the second Kenpachi!" The dark haired man said, exhausted.

"I know Kenny! But Mug-Mug doesn't want to be called Mug-Mug." Yachiru huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. A vein stood out on Kensei's forehead as he watched the little girl on his fellow knight's shoulder. Zaraki started walking again and Kensei followed him, even though he really didn't feel like coping with the big man's niece.

_Annoying little girl. _He thought to himself as the three of them headed outside to scan the grounds again.

…

Ichigo's shoulder was throbbing. Ever since he had a bath about half an hour ago, it hadn't stopped hurting like hell. He used his arm as little as he could while putting on his breeches. His shirt was easier, but it wouldn't have been so hard if his shoulder was numb like before. He pulled the towel through his hair with his good arm as soon as he was done, and sat back down on the bed, exhausted.

He breathed deeply, trying to calm his heart down. It tended to be much more demanding physically trying to get dressed with only one arm. He sighed and ran his hand through his still wet locks, making his hair smoothed back.

A knock on the door brought him out of his stupor, and he called for whoever it was to come in.

"Your majesty?" A short girl with brown hair came in. He nodded to her as she put a tray of food down next to his bed. She left as soon as she put the food down and Ichigo sighed. He wasn't sure how long he could keep this up. Every time he saw his king's future wife, something in his stomach flipped around. Not only that, but it felt as if he could see into her soul at times. The man brought his good hand up and ran his fingers through his orange hair again. It was almost dry, so it didn't stay slicked back anymore. _What if I just told her the truth?_ He thought to himself, but immediately wiped the idea from his head. That wasn't possible and he would never expect Rukia to believe him. He snorted when he thought about what her reaction might be.

Another knock sounded on his door and Ichigo looked up. He had a pretty good idea about who it might be. His notion was correct in the end and when the door swung open, a raven haired lady marched into the room with a smiling Hinamori behind her. In the brown haired girl's hand was another tray.

"Your highness." Rukia said and curtsied to him. Ichigo lifted an eyebrow and studied her.

"Lady Rukia." He replied and inclined his head, following her formal example.

"I have decided to have dinner with you." She said and took the seat next to his bed. This made his eyebrows shoot up even higher. He understood that she sat here with him, but eating with him, there, in his room, seemed a little strange to the orange haired substitute king. Still exceedingly curious as to what her intensions were, he nodded and looked at his tray that still sat on the bedside table, untouched.

"Thank you Momo." Rukia said and smiled warmly at the servant girl. The corners of Ichigo's mouth turned up involuntarily and he watched as Rukia took her tray from the brown haired girl. After she had made sure everything was fine, she left, and Rukia looked at him. She didn't pick up her knife or her fork and instead just sat there and stared at him. After a few moments, Ichigo's eyebrows furrowed even more and he opened his mouth to ask her why she was staring.

"Please can you get your food ready so we can eat?" She beat him to it. The amber eyed man blinked and finally realised that she was waiting for him. He wanted to laugh at himself.

"Yeah, yeah Midget." He said and leaned over, picking the tray up with his good arm. It wasn't too heavy and he had a good grip on it, so he knew he wouldn't drop it easily. Rukia stared at him while he brought the tray closer to him, finally resting it on his lap. As soon as she was sure he was going to start, the violet eyed girl took a bite of own her food.

"I'm not short by the way." She said when she was finished chewing. Ichigo smirked.

"Oh, I'm sorry. My mistake. You're not short, you're vertically challenged." He said and had the satisfaction of seeing Rukia choke slightly on a forkful of mashed potatoes.

"What did you say?" She said when she got her voice back.

"I said you're vertically challenged." He repeated and put some food in his mouth, making sure his lips and tongue were occupied so that he wouldn't be able to reply immediately.

"Fool." She hissed and narrowed her eyes at him. The smirk on his face was still in place and he could see that he was annoying her. "At least I don't look like a carrot." She said and glared at him.

"At least I don't put sugar in _your _bed." He said with that same smirk on his face. Rukia stuck her tongue out at him.

"At least _I _didn't dip _you_ in mud." She retorted. Ichigo scowled again.

"You started it!" He said and glared at her. The raven haired girl glared back at him. They glared at each other in what seemed to be the silliest staring contest ever.

"Idiot." She hissed between her teeth.

"Midget." He threw back

"Fool."

"Brat."

"Prick."

"Bitch." He said and kept glaring at her. He didn't know what it was, because even though she could annoy the living daylights out of him, she could also make him smile. As they were throwing insults at each other, Ichigo was smiling on the inside and he knew it was because it was Rukia and not just some other maiden. He brightened up a bit when he thought that maybe, once this whole thing is over, they might become good friends. He flinched when he thought about it though. _If she ever forgives me for pretending to be the King. _He thought grimly.

Finally, Ichigo tore his eyes away from Rukia's to look at his plate again. They were having mashed potatoes and chicken and Ichigo was enjoying it. It really was a meal fit for a king. Ichigo almost laughed out loud because of the irony in that.

The rest of their dinner was spent in a relatively comfortable silence and both Ichigo and Rukia stole glances at one another when the other wasn't looking. When they were done, they put their trays together on the dresser and once again sat there. Ichigo noticed that when Rukia was near him, the throbbing in his shoulder didn't seem as horrible as it did when she was away from him.

"How's your shoulder?" She asked after a while. It felt like she read his mind and the thought made him smirk internally. Then, the orange haired man tried to move it, but it hurt like hell to try, and he was scared that he would open up the wound again.

"It's fine, I guess." He said, not wanting to admit that it actually hurt. Rukia looked at him with her large violet eyes and smiled.

"When last did Orihime come to see you?" She asked him, eyeing his shoulder. He lifted his good shoulder in a shrug.

"This morning, why?" He asked, looking at her sceptically. She smiled at him a bit, but dropped it as soon as she saw the curious look on his face.

"Just wondering." She asked and got up. In the meantime, Ichigo had made himself comfortable against the pillows. Rukia then walked up to the bed and sat down on it.

* * *

She wasn't sure why she did it, but she knew she wanted to be closer to him. Call it what you will; her caring side, her lonely side or you can even call it attraction, but Rukia refused to call it anything but her caring and soft side.

"So has By… The Count caught the guy who shot me yet?" Kaien asked as he sat up a bit, curiosity seeping into his voice. He caught himself before using the Count's full name, knowing that the Lady of Lancaster wouldn't be too happy about it. Rukia shook her head.

"I hope the knights catch him." She said and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, only to fail, and for the piece to fall out again. Rukia noticed that Kaien was sitting up straight and that he was quite close to her. She tried to shut it out of her mind, but she failed and kept watching him, wondering if he'll come any closer. Kaien shrugged his one-armed shrug again, but Rukia almost didn't even notice it. She was too busy concentrating on the man in front of her. She had to admit, as far as suitors went, her brother didn't make a very bad pick. He was incredibly handsome, and although his hair was really strange it looked unnaturally good on him. His eyes portrayed a lot of emotion and before she met him, she never knew eyes could be so expressive. A thought that she had thought in the beginning, when she heard that she had to marry a king popped into her head again. _What if I hate him? _Rukia kept her face passive, but she wanted to smile. She knew she couldn't hate him, not completely anyway. She had realised that he was the only person who could make her smile when she didn't want to. The sudden silence in the room was palpable, and the raven haired girl wasn't sure if she liked it.

"Let's see your shoulder." She suddenly said, her eyes falling on the bandages hidden under his white cotton shirt. His eyebrows furrowed even farther, and he looked sceptical at first, but then he obliged her and took off his shirt. Once again Rukia marvelled at how well build he was, and she couldn't stop her eyes from hungrily taking in his entire chest. Something caught her eye then, and as she tried to get a closer look, she saw that under his belly button, a line of darker orange hair trailed down to the bridge of his breeches. Pink tainted her cheeks as she looked up into his face again. She couldn't think these improper thoughts at that moment and she scolded herself for looking in the first place.

The blush on her face didn't want to go away though. Rukia scooted closer to him and gently untied the bandages. She paid close attention to how they were wrapped so she could rewrap them in the same way when she was done. Now, Rukia was no nurse or healer, but she was sure she could figure out how bandages worked. Suddenly, she was hyper aware of the heat his body was radiating onto her hand. Her fingers brushed lightly against his skin as she worked and wherever she touched, goose bumps rose on his slightly tanned flesh. She suspected that her hands where cold, but she ignored it and continued to unwind the bandages around his shoulder. She tried to do it as lightly and as gently as possible, but he winced involuntarily every few seconds.

"Does it hurt?" She asked. Her voice was low and soft as she looked up while unwinding the last part of the bandage. Kaien's amber eyes met hers as he lifted his head to look into her face. The orange haired man lifted his good arm and scratched the back of his head.

"Ah, it's all right I guess." He told her. She smiled a bit and looked back at his shoulder, finally removing the last piece of marginally blood-stained cloth. When Rukia laid her violet eyes on the wound, she felt her eyes grow and she felt her sharp intake of breath. She had never seen something like it, but then again, she never really went to visit the recovering knights after a fight. No one had been that important to her yet. She studied his shoulder intently and for a second reached out to touch it. She stopped herself though and looked at the king again, asking his permission with her eyes.

"Go ahead. It's not like I'm going anywhere." He said mockingly. Rukia smirked momentarily then rolled her eyes and reached out to put her hand on his shoulder again. The wound looked like a deep cut, and the raven haired lady was sure that if she were to part the skin on either side of it, it would look like a cut too. The bleeding had stopped, but around the wound there was still some dried blood and the abrasion itself looked raw and quite disgusting if Rukia had to say so herself. Intrigued, the Lady of Lancaster lifted her other hand from where it was resting in her lap and brought it up to the injury. Feather-like, she traced her petite finger next to the destroyed skin on his shoulder.

"Does it hurt?" She asked again, this time in a whisper. Her eyes stayed on his shoulder as she waited for his answer. Something in the back of Rukia's mind was yelling at her, asking her what the hell she was doing. She wasn't listening to that part of her mind.

"No." He said, his voice also almost a whisper too. At that moment, Rukia looked up. Her finger stayed next to the cut though, and she was careful not to apply pressure to it. Her other hand was still on his shoulder. Violet and amber clashed and both people strained to see what emotion was hidden in the other's eyes. Rukia blinked and when her mind could work again to some extent, she realised how close they were sitting to each other. His face was about 6 inches away from hers and for the first time ever, the petite lady didn't feel as if her personal space was being invaded. It was a strange but elated feeling and Rukia liked it. She genuinely liked the butterflies fluttering in her stomach and the hammering of her heart in her ribcage. Suddenly, she couldn't breathe. She didn't want to breathe as she did the thing most unlike her that she had ever done. She moved forward a bit, still looking into the king's honey brown eyes. The world came to a complete standstill as she blinked up at him, a little unsure. He met her gaze steadily and it felt like Rukia was floating.

* * *

She was so close to him. His brain didn't… couldn't work… He couldn't… think…

Mentally, Ichigo tried to clear his head, but it was no use and her subtle flowery sent filled his senses making everything else hazy, leaving her standing out as a bright contrast to the rest of the world. When she had put her finger on his skin a moment ago, and when her hand brushed against him when she took his bandages off, she trailed coolness across his skin. It was soothing and incredibly gentle.

_Who are you?_ He asked her in his head. He wasn't sure anymore. Hell, he wasn't sure who he was anymore. Rukia inched closer to him and without his consent, his body moved forward, toward the girl with the soulful violet eyes. Ichigo could hear his heart beating and he wondered if the girl in front of him could hear it too… It sure felt like it and the closer they got to each other, the harder it hammered in his chest. For a second a scenario flashed through his mind. It was of him and Rukia holding hands. The orange haired man couldn't understand why he liked the scene in his head so much until he realised that Rukia called him 'Ichigo'.

Her face was less than two inches away from his and he swallowed air. This… this is… He couldn't breathe. It was as if there was no oxygen left in the air, only on the lips of the girl sitting in front of him. His gaze flickered to her mouth and he could see that she was biting the side of her lip. He felt his eyes grow as he met her eyes again. All of a sudden the world came into focus again.

_She's marrying Kaien._ He said and the thought of the dark haired man stopped him in his tracks. _I can't do this._ He realised and just before Rukia's lips could brush against his, he turned his head the other way, forcing her to peck his cheek.

"I think you should put the bandages on again." He said and felt his cheeks warm up. Rukia yanked her face away from his and sat back even farther away from him than she did before.

"Uhm, yeah." She said and picked up the bandage. She was looking at the piece of white cloth in her hands and didn't meet his eyes as she rewrapped the thing around his shoulder, mimicking the way it had been before she removed it.

"Well… I should really be going." She said and got up off the bed. Once, her gaze flitted to his face and he could see her cheeks tinted a light rosy colour.

"Good night…" He said uncertainly and looked down at his hands. His shoulder was tingling where she had touched it, and he was sure that the reminder of her touch would stay with him until the day he dies.

"Good night, Kaien." She said and walked to the door. She paused for a second when she had opened it, but then with a last glance back at him, she left the room and closed the door behind her. As soon as she was gone he felt like smacking himself. He was an idiot to think that he could keep up this pretence.

"Dumbass." He cursed himself and settled back on his pillows. He couldn't believe that he had told Kaien that he would do this. Did his king know that it would look suspicious if he didn't kiss her? He knew he would have to sooner or later. She would start getting curious and he would start questioning him. _Fuck. _He thought and ran his hand through his hair. If she questioned him and got close to him like she just did, the orange haired man was sure that he would tell her everything. He closed his eyes and once again wondered why the hell his king asked him to do this.

* * *

As soon as the raven haired girl shut the door to the king's room, she put her back against his door and slid down to the floor. Embarrassment engulfed her as she hid her head between her knees and stared a hole into the ground. _Why the hell did I do that?_ She wondered and raked her hands through her hair. She didn't know what to do, what to say. It was so unlike her to do something like that, and now that she had, she wanted to kick herself. Her blush deepened and she shook her head, trying to get rid of the images flooding her mind. She wanted to do it. She wanted to put her lips on his and melt into him, but she knew that that was a silly fantasy the teenager in her mind had thought up. It doesn't work like that.

_But it's supposed to happen, right?_ She thought and hit her hands against her head. _Stupid, stupid!_ She chanted and lifted her eyes. Resolve shone in her violet orbs and she put her chin up. Getting off the floor, she vowed to not let something like that happen again. If Kaien wanted to kiss her, he would. _But what if he doesn't want to?_ She thought and brought her hand up to her mouth to bite her nail.

_Fine. Then I won't kiss him._ She said and shut all thoughts of the orange haired man out of her head and put her feet into motion. She reached her room with ease, but she couldn't sleep at all and for at least the third time in a row, the petite Kuchiki tossed and turned all night long.

…

The man turned around again. He was sure that there was no one around, but it didn't hurt to double check. As soon as he was confident that he was alone, he brought his foot up and lifted the little carpet on the floor. Under it, a wooden trap door was revealed and the man crouched with a smirk on his face.

"So sue me… I have a secret." He said softly to himself and lifted the door to reveal a small ladder and complete darkness. He lifted the candle and stepped onto the ladder, making sure his foothold was secure before moving on to the next step. Behind him, he closed the trapdoor and took a deep breath. He lifted the candle and before him, a long passage stretched out. The smirk on his face grew and turned into a grin as he started walking, humming a tune to himself.

When he reached a light at the end of the tunnel, he threw open the other trap door and stepped up into a room flooded with light. It was the library and there was no one around. He was glad that he was alone and smiled as he blew out the candle in his hand.

"Welcome to Camelot…" he whispered, once again to himself, before walking out of the library and into the castle hallways.

…

The next morning was crisp and beautiful. As soon as Ichigo woke up, he knew that he wouldn't be able to stay in bed at all today. Throwing the blankets off him, he went over to the window and pulled the drapes apart one by one with his good arm to reveal a sunny morning. He felt the corners of his mouth move into a smile and turned around when he heard the knock on the door.

"Yeah?" He said and ruffled his hair a bit.

"Good morning your highness." Orihime Inoue said as she entered the room. He nodded to her and headed to the bed. She came over to him and he sat down, making it easier for her to gain access to his shoulder. She unwound his bandages and cleaned the wound again. As she worked, Ichigo couldn't help but think about the way Rukia had done a similar thing the previous day. Inoue worked lightly and gently, but compared to the raven haired girl, it could just as well have been Toshiro who was working on his arm.

"Breakfast is ready once you are your highness." She said when she was done.

"Thank you." Ichigo replied and Orihime nodded.

"Would you like me to bring it for you?" She asked, but Ichigo shook his head and told her that he would go and join the rest of the people in the hall. She smiled at him before she left and he thanked her again. He certainly wasn't worth her trouble, though everyone in this castle would continue to think that he was worth the trouble until the wedding. Hell, they knew him as Kaien Shiba, king of Camelot. Ichigo scratched the back of his head, once again unsure of how to keep up this pretence his king had gotten him into.

…

A knock on the door pulled Yukata out of his thoughts and he almost jumped off the bed.

"Who is it?" He asked and stared at the door, expecting Renji to come barging in. But then again, Renji wasn't really one to knock. The door opened to reveal Orihime and Yukata let out the breath he wasn't aware that he was holding.

"Hello." He said and smiled broadly at her. She smiled back and closed the door behind her.

"How do you feel?" She asked and walked over to the bed on which he was sitting. The dark haired man nodded and kept the smile on his face.

"Much better thank you!" He said and put his arm around Orihime's shoulders as soon as she sat down next to him. She put her arms around him and hugged him back.

"It's no trouble at all." She said and pulled away from him. He smiled at her and nodded.

"Uhm… Orihime?" He asked and smiled at her shyly. She looked at him with a smile on her face.

"Yeah?" She replied.

"Thanks." He said and put his hand on hers. She smiled and turned her hand around to give his a squeeze.

"Anytime!"

"Hey Yukata?" A voice said just as the door burst open. The dark haired man felt his eyes bug and immediately let go of Orihime's hand. It was too late though and the red haired man who had burst into the room had seen it. Renji's eyebrow shot up and he looked at the two of them sceptically.

"What do you want Pineapple-head?" Yukata asked, trying to get rid of the embarrassing situation.

"Uh… Never mind." The red head said and turned around. Yukata didn't fail to notice the smirk in his big friend's eyes. _If only you knew…_ The dark haired knight thought to himself as he and Orihime looked at each other and laughed.

…

Rukia wanted to scream, but she held her tongue and watched as her future husband spoke to her brother. _The stupid, idiotic fool! _She cursed as she looked at him. She stuffed her mouth with food in the most elegant way she could. She had to give him some credit though; the idiot did know how to act as if nothing ever happened. She was so angry at him inside, but outside she was as calm as she always was around her brother. _I'll show you, you pathetic king. _She thought to herself and thought about how to confront him about it. After she had slept, she decided that she would go and talk to him and ask him about what happened the previous night, but now the stupid carrot-top pretended as if nothing had ever happened. She wanted to slap him upside down, but she knew it would do her anger no good. She took the last bite of her breakfast, swallowed it without chewing properly, then got up off her chair.

"Please brother, may I be excused? I have things that I need to tend to." She said and looked at Byakuya. Her brother's eye twitched faintly, but he nodded and let her go nonetheless. She walked out of the dining hall at a normal pace, but as soon as she was out of everyone's view, she stormed out of the castle.

_How dare he? How dare he pretend that nothing happened?_ She fumed. She had no idea where she was going, but when she ended up on the path leading to the gardens, she figured that her feet knew where she needed to go. She wasn't sure why she was so mad at the king for acting as if nothing had happened, but she thought that it meant a little more than that! He was the first guy she had ever tried to kiss, and he rejected her! Rukia's cheeks burned again and she wanted to bury her face in the ground.

The Sakura tree came into view and Rukia threw herself against it. She didn't want to think about him. She tried to calm herself and take a few breaths, and before she knew it, she had calmed down somewhat. She was still raging mad, but she could at least control her emotions when she was in a different place than he was. She felt the cool breeze and sunlight on her cheek and felt that if she absorbed a bit of nature for a few minutes, she might be able to think clearly again.

"You know, if you just sit there, you might get sunstroke." A voice said from a little distance away. Rukia wasn't aware that time had passed, but she had zoned out completely. Her eyes flew open and she looked to where the voice was coming from.

"What do you care Carrot-Top?" She hissed and glared at him. Ichigo lifted his hands in a surrendering gesture, but Rukia could see the playful glint in his eyes. Once again, anger raced through her and she shot up, ready to take it all out on him.

* * *

**Okay! So first things first… I decided to go with Mug-Mug for Kensei's nickname given by Yachiru, seeing as his last name is Muguruma. It was that or Mr Mugface… You guys can pick one! Whichever one you like best is the one I'll use! But I thought it was cute! ;)**

**Once again... Ruler is to indicate a change of POV... Ellips is a change of situation! **

**Secondly, I had a bit of trouble writing that scene in the bedroom, because it is quite unlike Ichigo and Rukia to get into a situation like that… But then again, we'll never know what goes on behind the curtains of Bleach! *Wiggles eyebrows suggestively* Eh? **

**Then, who do you guys prefer? HitsuHina? Or HitsuKarin? I myself quite like both, but I would like to know who your favourite is! :D Drop me a review and let me know! **

**So, overall I'm quite happy with my chapter… :D I think it was valid for Rukia to get mad because Ichigo pretended that nothing happened… I actually think I would be just as mad as she is! If I tried to kiss a guy and he rejected me, I would be sooooo embarrassed, which would make me mad… More at myself than at him though! *Blush* **

**SO! Please, please, please review! Do you want me to threaten you guys with Kenpachi again? ;) Okay! The person who leaves the 50****th**** review will get a prize… Hmm… I just don't know what! What would you like? Let me know in a review, yes? Please guys, flames hurt, because it is my story and I have WRITERS LISCENSE! MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHA *evil laugh*! PLEASE REVIEW! **

**Thank you! I love you! No seriously though, about the 50****th**** review getting a prize… Just don't ask me for money! I'm broke, neh? I mean something like, would you like me to promote your story or something along those lines! :D Now gooooo leave a reviewwwww…**


	10. Crazy little thing called love

**Hey there everyone! I'm sorry I took so long to update! It's been hectic on this side… Hehe but yeah! I'm back with a new chapter, just because you guys are so awesome! ;) SO! This chapter flowed from my fingertips like nothing ever has. It's sort of lame, I think… But I like it, you know? I hope you guys will like it too! :D **

**Please guys, I need to know who you prefer? HitsuHina or HitsuKarin? So far it's HitsuKarin… If you guys don't vote, I can't change it! ;) Hehe**

**Thanks to: **_**darklover, **__**ptitvio**__**, **__**FacingLoveEmbracingMelody**__**, Alyssa, **__**ADVluv4life**__**, Rukes, **__**Miku Alli**__**, **__**Mageida**__**, **__**hinataellis**__**, **__**kyurikochan**__**, **__**TheWhalishLeek**__**, **__**AnuHit**__**, Pyon1234, **__**H00rWithAPen**__**, **_**and **_**Tenshi-no-Megami**_**for reviewing! You guys made me feel so amazing! It's the most reviews I have ever received on one chapter! :D **

**Congrats to Miku Alli! *Claps hands* You are my 50****th**** reviewer! So far, I'm writer her a oneshot! Well done! I'm going to give the same prize to my 100****th**** reviewer and so forth… So every fifty, neh? **

**~Disclaimer: FFS I don't own Bleach already! **

**This thing, called love I just can't handle it  
this thing, called love I must get round to it  
I ain't ready  
Crazy little thing called love**

**This thing, called love  
It cries, like a baby in a cradle all night  
It swings  
It jives  
It shakes all over like a jelly fish,  
I kinda like it  
Crazy little thing called love**

**~Crazy little thing called love, by Queen**

* * *

**Chapter 10 ~ Crazy little thing called love**

Rukia had no idea what drove her forward, but she made a bee-line for the man standing in front of her. Her eyes were icy as she glared at him and brought her finger up to prod him in the stomach. She was seething, and even though she couldn't give a damn, her hair flew everywhere, getting messed up. She could see his eyes grow as she stormed to him and his already raised hands lowered into a calming gesture.

"Rukia…" He said, trying to make her stop. She pretended not to hear him and walked straight up to him until she had to look up in order to see his face properly.

"You are a selfish, arrogant, idiotic, moronic fool!" She yelled and poked him in the chest every time she threw an insult at him. Kaien started backing up and had to look behind him in fear of stepping on the flowers.

"Rukia, calm down." He tried again and kept moving backwards. There were no signs of the amused glint in his eyes she had seen earlier and she was relieved, knowing that he understood that she was serious.

"NO! I will not calm down!" She said and threw her hands up in exasperation. "I can't believe you! You think you're so wonderful don't you? Wake up call, you might be a king, but the world doesn't revolve around you!" She was yelling at him and the man with the orange hair seemed a little surprised by her outburst. All of a sudden, his eyebrows pulled together tightly.

"Wait, what?" He asked and stopped moving back. "What the hell is that supposed to mean, Midget?" Rukia narrowed her eyes at him dangerously.

"You know exactly what I mean!" She said, her face turning red. She told herself it was because she was angry and had murderous thoughts in her head, and not because she was embarrassed about what had happened. "And I'm not short!" She added for good measure.

"If it's something I said, I'm sorry…" He said and lifted an eyebrow at her. A vein popped in the petite lady's head.

"Are you really that dense?" She yelled at him. "I can't believe I thought I liked you! I don't _want _to marry you! I never did! You are a stupid, dim-witted dumbass! Not to mention pathetic!" She yelled and felt the blood boiling in her veins. Did he really have no idea what she was talking about? Rukia couldn't believe it.

"All right, fine! If you're going to be so obtuse, I'll tell you." She continued and started pacing in front of him. She didn't want to look at his face, so she kept her eyes on the grass under her feet. She was rambling in anger, that much she knew. She couldn't pinpoint exactly why she was rambling in the first place. Pouring her heart out was something she never did.

"First, I think that marrying you might not be so bad. Then, I think that kissing you might not be so bad. Then I tried to kiss you. AND YOU REJECTED ME!" She yelled, thrashing her arms about, trying to get her point into that thick skull of his.

"I don't get it! You made me look like an idiot! Why?" Finally Rukia looked at him. He was totally taken aback, not used to seeing this side of her. The dark haired girl herself wasn't used to his side of her. She felt sort of disgusted with herself. She just told him what she felt about everything, and wasn't staying indifferent key in this whole situation? She had no idea what was going on.

Kaien blinked down at her, unable to figure out how to handle her mood swing. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other as he contemplated what to say to her.

"Ruki-'' He began but was cut off by an angry hand to his uninjured shoulder. Her slap stung, but it had little to no effect on how he was going to handle the circumstances they were in.

"What the fuck was that for, Midget?" He said frowning at her. She crossed her arms over her chest and stuck her nose in the air.

"For being fruity!" She said and huffed.

"Where the hell was I being fruity?" He demanded and narrowed his eyes at her.

"You're fruity all the time." She said firmly.

"Damn stubborn bitch." He breathed and picked her up by her shoulders. His own shoulder screamed at him, but at that moment, he couldn't care less. The Sakura tree she was sitting under a few moments ago wasn't that far off and the king carried her all the way there. She yelled at him to put her down, but she stayed still in fear of hurting is arm even further. She knew he would blame her if something were to happen.

"Put me down, you stupid Carrot-Top!" She shrieked again and he finally put her down on her own feet. She was about to stomp all over his ego again, but before she could look into his eyes again, he had her pinned against the tree. Rukia blinked, stunned.

"Now you listen here you insufferable Midget…" He began. His face was so close to hers and he didn't need to speak louder than he spoke at that moment. Every sound that came out of his mouth, Rukia's ears immediately picked up.

"Maybe _you_ need a reality check. You're not really mad at me are you?" He asked, moving his head so his lips were right next to her ear. "You're mad at yourself."

Rukia's chest heaved against his and she gripped the bark of the tree, feeling the scratches it was making on her palms. She didn't care. She needed a distraction.

"You're mad because you're embarrassed." He said. She could hear the smirk in his voice as his breath tickled her neck. Something in the pit of her stomach felt strange as the king's body pressed against hers and he breathed next to her ear. She was hanging onto the tree as if it were her last salvation and her nails dug into the wood. Her throat had dried up and even though she tried to say something to get him away from her, she couldn't utter a sound. Her breathing was very uneven in comparison to Kaien's and without knowing what she was doing, she turned her head and closed her eyes. Maybe she didn't want to see him or listen to what he was saying, but the knot in the pit of her stomach only increased in size. Rukia tried to stick a word to the knot, but she couldn't come up with something good enough.

"What's wrong, Midget? You giving me the silent treatment?" He asked in her ear. She shuddered in what she thought was disgust as his breath fanned over her neck. Rukia couldn't think of one witty comment, and her temporary loss left her huffing, her eyes closed and her nails imbedded in the trunk of the tree.

The heat from his body was scorching her front and unconsciously, her hands shoved her closer to him. She didn't notice what she had done, and kept her eyes closed, waiting to hear what he would say next. Instead though, he pulled away and Rukia gasped as the air came rushing into her lungs again. She breathed irregularly when he was that close to her, but when he removed the pressure and heat, she could force her lungs to work properly again. Red crept from Rukia's neck up to her face as she looked at her hands. Why was she blushing? _I'm not supposed to be blushing!_ She thought to herself and forced a passive look onto her face. It didn't work so well though, and when she looked up, she realised that the man standing in front of her, was starting to make her cold exterior crack.

"Dumbass." She mumbled, but she doubted that he had heard her.

"Midget." He said back. Apparently he had heard. Her eyes shot to him and she wondered why the knot in her stomach wasn't going away. Rukia pushed herself away from the tree and walked up to him again. He was standing a few feet away.

"Stupid idiot." She said and reached for his shoulder. He flinched, perhaps thinking that she was going to slap him again.

She curled her delicate fingers halfway around his upper arm to hold him still while her other hand extended to remove the sleeve of his shirt. She couldn't see any blood on the cotton, so she released him again.

"You're going to open that wound again." She said in explanation before turning around and heading back to the castle.

She wanted to bite her nail, but she stubbornly kept her hand hanging at her side. Something felt off, and the Ice Princess couldn't put her finger on it. She wasn't wobbly… But she could feel something odd as she walked. Her stomach felt better now that she couldn't smell him and feel his presence. _Maybe it was angst?_ She thought as she climbed the steps up to the front door. She shook her head and sighed. She began to understand that the king might be right. She really was mad at herself, not at him. She swore in her head and walked to her room briskly. She didn't feel like thinking, but thoughts of that knot in her stomach kept popping up. In a way she hated her brother for making her marry that imbecile of a king, but if he had not planned this, Rukia wouldn't feel the way she thought she would never feel. Affection was only ever a word to Lady Kuchiki, and the only persons she ever really cared about were her sister, Momo and her brother, though she would hardly admit that to anyone. All of a sudden, an orange haired moron comes into her life, and out of the blue she's walking funny and getting strange feelings in her stomach? Was she really that weak? _He is only another man…_ She tried to tell herself, but something in that stubborn brain of hers didn't want to see him as 'only another man'.

When Rukia reached her bed, she threw herself onto it and buried her head in her pillow. In all of her eighteen years, she had never before been so confused.

* * *

"Fuck it." Ichigo swore as he clenched and unclenched his good shoulder's hand. He had blood pumping where he really didn't need it at this point in time. He had never really been someone with a low self-control rate, but at that moment, he had a bit of trouble taming his manhood. He was glad that it wasn't very obvious in the breeches he was wearing, but it bothered him more that he couldn't think of anything but her.

He set his feet into motion and forced his brain to think of things that couldn't possibly ever arouse him. Thoughts flew through his brain at an alarming pace, and it showed just how desperate he was to not think of her.

Yuzu and Karin finding husbands…

His mom smiling at him…

His father going on and on about grandkids…

The last thought failed to help though, since the word 'grandkids' made the orange haired man think of how close he was standing to Rukia a few minutes ago. It made him think of how her chest pressed against his as her lungs expanded with air. It made him think of her scent, which oddly reminded him of the first cherry blossom that opened in the spring. She smelled faintly of rain and lavender. Ichigo sighed as he sat down on a bench under an oak tree. He had no idea what he should do. He wished that there was an easy way to contact his King and ask him what to do. Ichigo was sure that Kaien would understand if he told him that he couldn't continue like this for another week. He buried his head in his hands as he considered what to do about his unnatural attraction to the Lady of Lancaster.

* * *

"Do you think they are getting closer?" The lady with the purple hair asked Urahara. He grinned slyly and nodded.

"Without a doubt. Didn't you see that just now? He's obviously trying to get rid of an erection." He nodded solemnly and Yoruichi looked at him. Then she looked down and picked up the first heavy branch within her reach and hit him over the head with it. Urahara's hands immediately found the already forming bruise on his head and rubbed it, feigning innocence.

"Ow! Why would you do that?" He said and blinked at her. Yoruichi rolled her eyes and looked back at the orange haired man sitting on the bench. His face was still hidden in his hands, but the purple haired lady knew his insides were in turmoil. A feral grinned crossed her features as she watched him.

_It's not so bad to be in love, is it Ichi?_ She wondered and looked at the man sitting next to her. He was still rubbing the spot on his head where she hit him, but when he realised she was looking at him, he grinned his most sincere, sloppy grin at her. Her heart warmed up as she once again thought about the fact that he was _hers._ She smiled back at him. She didn't know how it happened, but somehow, the man with whom she had fallen in love with as a young girl, was picked by her parents as her husband. She expected worse, but Kisuke Urahara was the ultimate. She took his hand and gave it a squeeze. He laced his fingers through hers and smiled even broader. She rolled her eyes again and let go of his hand.

"You think this week will be enough?" She asked him and looked at Ichigo again. He had leaned back on the bench and was looking into the branches of the tree above him.

"Maybe." He replied simply and Yoruichi couldn't help but wonder if they might have to delay Ichigo's return to Camelot with a day or two. She smiled to herself evilly and started planning how to delay it… just in case.

* * *

Toshiro sighed as he sat down in one of the chairs in the library. He didn't have anything to do, so he came here. The plan was to read something, but he couldn't find a book his mind wanted to focus on for more than ten minutes. Nothing interested him at that moment. He was just about to get up and look for something else when someone barged through the door.

"Hitsugaya!" The red head said when he saw the short, white haired man. Looking at him was the only acknowledgement Toshiro gave Renji.

"Something strange is going on." Renji said and closed the door behind him. The teal eyed man replied with a soft grunt, but it did nothing to stop the red haired knight from telling him everything anyway.

"Yukata and that healer girl Orihime are holding hands and laughing together." He said and pointed to the door as if they were standing right there. Toshiro rolled his eyes and turned his back on Renji. He tried to concentrate on the titles of the books on the shelf, but Abarai didn't even give him half a chance.

"No, seriously. It's weird." He said and scratched his head.

"Why is it so weird Abarai?" Toshiro asked, humouring his friend.

"I don't know." Renji answered honestly. A small smile graced the shorter knight's features as he turned back around to look at the other man in the room.

"Why don't you just ask him?" He suggested and folded his arms over his chest. Renji looked perplexed and blinked a few times before scratching his head again.

"I never thought about that." He admitted. Toshiro rolled his eyes. He wondered if Renji really thought at all sometimes. He knew better than to question the big man's intelligence though, since it was a touchy subject. Toshiro really didn't know why it was either, seeing as how his friend wasn't as stupid as he sometimes seemed.

"Maybe he'll tell you what's wrong." He said and turned back to the row of books behind him.

"Yeah, I think I'll go ask him." He said and left the library in silence. Toshiro ran a hand through his snow white hair and looked at the door through which his friend had just disappeared. _You can be really dense sometimes, Abarai._ He thought to himself and smiled a rare Hitsugaya smile before returning to the book case one more.

* * *

"The carriage is ready." The man with the green eyes said passively when he had closed the door behind him. The man standing at the window smiled and turned to face the man at the door.

"Good." Aizen Sōsuke said and walked to the door. "Let's go pay King Shiba a little visit, shall we?"

The man with the green eyes nodded, still showing no emotion whatsoever.

The two men walked out of the mansion to the carriage. Two big, black stallions were tied to the carriage and stood ready and waiting. The man opened the door for Aizen and they both climbed in.

Before they knew it, they were on their way to Camelot.

"This should be fun." The man with the brown hair said and looked at the man accompanying him. Ulquiorra Cifer nodded, but said nothing.

* * *

"Maybe we should change the sheets today, then we can wash all the windows tomorrow." Momo said to the four maids standing in front of her. A few heads were nodded and Momo smiled as she got her way. Together, they all set off to the linen closet to get new sheets and pillow cases. The five of them chatted amongst each other and Hinamori's ears couldn't help but pick up the conversation going on between Kiyone and a girl called Lilynette.

"He's so handsome!" Kiyone said. Lilynette rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"No! I think the other one with the red hair is so dashing!" Lilynette replied. Momo couldn't help but wonder who they were talking about. She suspected that they were talking about the Camelot knights. As she removed the sheets from the closet, she listened to the rest of their banter. It was meaningless though, she soon realized and handed each maid a few sheets. She took a few herself and as soon as the rest of the staff had left, she walked in the opposite direction. She was heading to Rukia's room, knowing that she wanted to do her sheets first. What she found when she entered wasn't what she expected at all, however. Her Lady was sprawled on her bed with her face hidden in her pillow. Momo blinked a few times and cleared her throat so as not to frighten the girl on the bed. Rukia lifted her head and looked at her chambermaid, and plonked her face right back into her pillow.

Momo felt like laughing as she heard Rukia moan. She put the sheets down on the dresser and went and sat on the bed next to her.

"What happened?" The brown haired girl asked. She could see that Rukia was in a sorry state and that it wouldn't help to try and make her feel better. The violet eyed girl flopped around to face the ceiling. She sighed heavily, then looked at Momo as if she were her last hope.

"I tried to kiss him." She said simply. Momo knew that she would never tell anyone this but her this, and the maid felt honoured to be so close with the Kuchiki Princess. Rukia told her the whole story and Hinamori listened attentively. She wasn't very experienced, but she could give her opinion on Rukia's problem.

"It seems like you're attracted to him." She said and nodded her head. There was a pretty smile on her face and she hoped that she had guessed right.

"No! He's an idiotic, foolish dolt and I don't want to be anywhere near him." Rukia replied stubbornly. Her friend could see the crack in her façade though, and she smirked at the discovery.

"You _are _attracted to him!" She cried and clapped her hands together. Rukia folded her arms over her chest as she lay there. Her eyebrows pulled together in frustration and she shook her head.

"Fine… But I'll only admit to being attracted to him _physically._" She said and sat up. Momo's eyes grew and she moved closer to Rukia.

"What happened?" She asked again, curiosity evident in her voice. A faint blush crept onto Rukia's face.

"He pushed me up against a tree." She said, which made Momo squeal.

…

Rukia was no idiot. She wanted to kill herself once she figured it out, but there was nothing she could do about it. The strange feeling she got when she walked back to the castle earlier was caused by heat in a place she never thought such an intense heat could get. She wasn't a very informed girl, seeing as she had Byakuya Kuchiki for a brother, but she could make assumptions. This one soon proved to be the right one, though. She blushed furiously as she thought about it. Never in her life had Rukia ever felt anything remotely 'sexual', and now, in a week, one infuriating man changed everything.

Quickly deciding to not think about it, she steered her head in another direction.

"Momo… The sheets." Rukia reminded her after a few moments. It was clear that her chambermaid had gone to her own world for a while, and Rukia wondered if something she said had sent her there.

"Oh, right!" The brown haired girl said and blushed at her absentmindedness. Rukia smiled at her and got off the bed. She had no idea what to do with herself. She had thought about going back to Kaien, and spending some more time with her future husband, but she had dismissed the idea, remembering how she had blurted everything to him. She couldn't believe she did that. If her brother ever found out, he would be so disappointed. Kuchiki's didn't have feelings, right? Or was that only her brother? Rukia couldn't deny that she was definitely feeling something at that moment.

"Arg!" She said to herself softly and felt like throwing something. When Momo looked her way though, she smiled at the maid and told her that she was going to take a walk.

She sighed as she wondered aimlessly through the castle for about the millionth time that week. She could name a few things she was feeling at that moment… Anger, hate, curiosity, care… Most of them were towards the stupid orange haired king, and Rukia wondered if it really was that bad to like him a little. She shook her head. She _had _to like him a little… She was going to _marry _the man for crying out loud! Something at the back of her mind was nagging at her. A part of her was extremely curious about why he didn't want to kiss her. He was her future husband, and he knew that. Shouldn't it be natural that they kiss?

It made little to no sense and the raven haired lady huffed, frustrated with the Carrot-Top. Abruptly, she got so frustrated that she didn't know if she could hold out for very long. Wasn't she very open and honest with Kaien? Couldn't she just go and ask him why he didn't want to kiss her? The idea formed in her head like a good recipe made a delicious meal, and she immediately changed her direction and started heading to the gardens. She hoped that he was still there, but if he wasn't, she would go looking for him.

Her feet made a pitter-patter noise on the rock as she exited the building. The sun was sitting in the middle of the sky and gave the garden in front of her a healthy glow. It wasn't too hot yet, since it was mid spring, but Rukia didn't mind. She wasn't overly fond of heat. She followed the path to where she had left him, and when she got there, she stopped. He wasn't under the Sakura tree anymore, but she would look until she found him.

After half an hour of searching the gardens, Rukia could confidently say that he wasn't there. She exhaled impatiently and walked back to the castle. He wasn't in his room either, and Rukia had to pause and think about where to go next. She didn't think he was in the kitchen, and she removed the library from her list after she had checked it. She found Toshiro in there, though. A pile of books as tall as him stood next to the chair in which he was sitting and Rukia smiled, glad that he could enjoy the books she too, loved.

The last place she thought of was the stables. She knew she would have to stop at the kitchen for a drink before she ran around any further, and when she stopped there, Uryū and Orihime were sitting at the table with the kitchen staff, chatting. Did she miss something? It was so different to see the four Camelot knights around the castle, but in some way it was as if they had always been there. Rukia smiled and drank a glass of water before finding her way to the stables. By then, she had planned out exactly what she wanted to say to him. She would slap him upside down a few times and ask him if he was retarded –which he probably was- then demand to know why he didn't want to kiss her. She would ask if there was something wrong with her, but before he can answer she'll tell him 'don't answer that'. The raven haired girl grinned as she thought it through again.

The door to the stable stood open and Rukia stuck her head in to see if she could spot a head of orange hair. She smiled when she saw the distinctive spot of orange moving around at the last stall. She moved to it without a sound and when she got there, she entered it silently. Kaien had his back to her and she thought he had heard her, so when she tapped his good shoulder, she expected him to turn around and say hello to her. Instead, he jumped almost three feet into the air.

"HOLY SHIT! FUCK!" He yelled and Rukia brought her hand up to her mouth to stifle a laugh. His eyes were wide and it looked like his hair stood on end even more than it usually did.

"Rukia…" He said threateningly and his eyes narrowed. She couldn't take it anymore and burst out laughing. She laughed so hard that she thought she was going to burst, and what made it even more hilarious was that Kaien was glaring at her. She couldn't think straight as she wiped tears from her eyes and tried to shaped words in her mouth, but failed.

"Yeah, yeah… Very funny Midget." He grumbled and turned back to his horse. Zangetsu seemed to laugh with Rukia and Kaien shot his horse a don't-you-start-that-shit-with-me look. Zangetsu immediately stopped neighing and Rukia finally stopped laughing. She had hiccups from the lack of air though, and suddenly had to stifle more giggles because of her amusement at herself. She couldn't remember when she had laughed so heartily and even though it was at someone, it was still a delicious taste in her mouth.

"Hey Rukia?" Kaien asked and Rukia looked at him. He threw a piece of straw at her and told her to 'shut up'. She rolled her eyes and laughed the last laugh she could muster without sounding fake.

"I'm sorry…" She said finally. The king rolled his eyes again and turned back to his horse. The black Stallion was saddled and ready to go out.

Without warning, Rukia's stomach contracted.

"Where are you going?" She asked him and went and stood next to his horse. Kaien lifted his good shoulder in another half shrug.

"I was going to go for a ride. Do you want to come?" The tensed muscles in Rukia's body suddenly released and she could feel the worry leaving her veins. The one corner of her mouth tugged up and she nodded.

…

Aizen climbed out of the carriage and approached a very tense looking Kaien Shiba. The king's eyes were narrowed as he looked at the man coming toward him.

"Aizen." He said in greeting and the mad with the brown hair smiled a seemingly sincere smile.

"It's so nice to see you again your highness." He said and bowed to the King of Camelot. Kaien nodded to his show of respect and gestured to the castle. It would be better if they spoke in private.

Kaien had no idea what this was about, but he had a suspicion that it had to have something to do with Ichigo. He wondered if his Knights were still doing well in Lancaster.

"What do you want Aizen?" Kaien asked, getting straight to the point, straight away.

"I would like to make a deal with you." He said and Kaien could feel his already tense muscles tighten even more. Aizen smiled as if he was a hero in an adventure book and Kaien felt a chill run down his spine.

* * *

**All righty! I hope you guys enjoyed it! I promise, many more IchiRuki moments to come! And I'm all for realisticness… so I'm sorry if I offend anyone with my straightforwardness! :D Deal with it! ;) There's a reason this is rated M you know! **

**I don't have a lot to say today! Yay! **

**PLEASE REVIEW! Or I might just get Szayel to come and stalk you… Take naked pictures of you for blackmail or something… *Shudders* That guy freaks the shit out of me! And taking naked pictures sounds like something he would do… I don't know why! **

**ANYWAY! **

**Please, please, please, review! I love you guys! You inspire me! **


	11. How long till your surrender?

**I'm back! Hello all my dearest readers… Here is chapter 11. I swear, no long AN this time. All I'm saying is that I'm very sorry for taking so long to update. My life is so hectic at the moment, you guys have no idea. But it's all good! We'll get through it! LOL. **

**Thank you to: **_**Fire331, AnuHit, FacingLoveEmbracingMelody, darklover, H00rWithAPen, nikorudied, chibiyukia, gatita90, Infinity Comes To A End, MurderedByAMarionette **_**and **_**Ureko**_** for reviewing! And a special thanks to MurderedByAMarionette (Sorry, the fullstops in your penname made my pc throw the whole name away!)**** for leaving the longest review I have ever gotten! *Wipes tears of happiness away* You are truly wonderful!**

**~Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or any of the characters. I only use them for my own entertainment. :D**

**I've become your shadow  
I love, but don't know how to  
I'm always lost for words**

**You look like a thousand suns  
I wanna be the only one  
Left when your day is done**

**Oh, how long till your surrender?  
Oh, how long till your surrender?  
It's a long way  
For heart break  
Let your heart wait and bleed  
Oh, how long till your surrender to me?**

**~Your surrender, by Neon Trees**

* * *

Chapter 11 ~ How long till your surrender?

Rukia took his outstretched hand and he pulled her up onto the horse. He had used his good arm, but she had been careful nonetheless. She was used to riding side-saddle, but as the king pulled her, she aimed to throw her one leg around and sit like he was sitting. She figured that that way, she would take up a lot less space. A smile spread across her face as soon as she was comfortable and she shot the man sitting behind her a look. His eyebrows were raised in curiosity, but it seemed like he brushed it off as he reached forward to grab Zangetsu's reigns. Kaien's chest pressed against her back and Rukia wasn't sure what to do with her hands.  
"Here." The orange haired man said, sensing her discomfort. He offered her the reigns, fully aware that she knew how to handle them, then placed his hands on her hips. His one hand didn't hold on as tightly as the other one. It was so unlike her but she didn't really mind.

As soon as the Lady of Lancaster wanted to put her feet into the stirrups, though, she realised that she was too short to reach them. A blush crept onto her face, but she didn't allow it to bother her. Instead, she hitched up her dress enough to be more comfortable, but not indecent, then, she hooked her legs around Kaien's so that she was certain she wouldn't fall off. Wherever their bodies touched, heat travelled. A realisation crept into Rukia's mind at a snail's pace and she gripped the reigns tighter. She wanted the heat that his body was radiating onto hers and she wanted to lean closer to him.  
"Can we go?" He asked behind her in a calm tone. She nodded and Kaien clicked his tongue twice. The horse moved forward and Rukia managed to guide them outside without any trouble. The stallion proved to be an easily controlled animal and the dark haired girl smiled as she felt the steady rhythm of the horse's hooves through her body. She could feel Kaien behind her every step of the way and although his hold on her hips were feathery, she could feel all the muscles in his body were tense.

Rukia led them away from the castle and deeper into the woods. She didn't want to go too far, in fear that whoever had shot at the king wasn't far off. She wondered if her brother had found anyone who could be a suspect... Shaking off the foreboding feeling in her chest, the violet eyed girl focussed on the animal under her.

She knew this part of the forest well and had no trouble finding the path she used to take when she was younger.  
"Hey Midget, where are we going?" She heard Kaien ask from behind her... She smiled to herself and turned Zangetsu to the right. The sun shone through the leaves and cast dancing patterns on the lady's dress and on the horse's hair. Rukia marvelled at how the shapes were never the same when the breeze rustled the leaves above them.

"You'll see." She told him. She didn't want to ruin the surprise, so she kept her mouth shut and tried not to think of her legs that were curled around Kaien's or about the fact that with every few steps her dress pulled up a little bit more, exposing more and more of her thighs. She was fully aware of the fact that the decency she tried so hard to maintain was slowly slipping away.

* * *

Ichigo tried very hard to keep his eyes on the ground in front of his horse or on the back of Rukia's head, but his eye kept travelling to the thin legs that were being shown a little more with each few meters. Her delicate frame fit there perfectly and he couldn't help but wonder what she would do if he put his arms around and just held her. For the first time since he arrived in Lancaster... Since he became a knight he felt disappointment swell in his chest. Disappointment because he could not like her. Disappointment that she was more beautiful than he ever imagined. But most of all, he was disappointed because he didn't lean in and kiss her when she had wanted him to do so. Suddenly his hands started to burn and slip. It was as if he couldn't get a good hold on her, and he adjusted his hands, moving them to her waist instead. He could feel her tense under his fingers. He held his hand completely still to reassure her that his intention was not to feel her up. After a few seconds she relaxed again.  
Ichigo sighed and cursed internally. Moving his hand had proved to not help his situation.

He had found it strange that she had gotten on the horse so unlady-like and was sitting like a gentleman. He pondered that it might be because her brother wasn't with her. It made him smile to think that she didn't care what he thought about her.  
"You alright?" He asked informally and saw her nod in front of him. He wondered what was going on in that head of hers.

Ichigo then allowed his mind to wonder as much as it could and he thought about where on earth she was taking him. It seemed as if she knew exactly where she was headed, though, so he put his trust in her and just enjoyed the ride. It wasn't every day that he could sit back and not have to worry about controlling Zangetsu. Not that his horse ever gave him any trouble. Before he knew it, they took another turn and walked right into a clearing. From the main pathway they had just been on, one couldn't see the tiny opening in the trees that Rukia had spotted. It didn't look like anything at first, but upon closer inspection, one would notice the clearing. The orange haired man marvelled at the sight of it. The leaves from the trees cast the entire area in shade and Ichigo could almost feel the coolness fall through his fingers and flow through his muscles.

"Here." Rukia said shortly and put the reigns back in his hand. He hastily took them and saw the dark haired lady quickly pull her dress down all the way to her ankles before swinging her leg over and slipping off the horse gracefully. Ichigo's eyes grew as he saw her falling to the ground, but before he could even think about reaching out and catching her, she landed on her feet. He shook his head in amazement. It seemed like such a long way down, but she made it look like a breeze getting off the horse. He felt like laughing as he too got off of Zangetsu and left the horse there. He knew his horse well enough to know that he wouldn't just run off. And if he did, he would come back.

Many people have wondered why Zangetsu was so loyal, but Ichigo didn't have an answer. He really cared about the animal and he had respect for it. He assumed it was because he had never gone anywhere without him. He would always insist on bringing the black stallion and riding him himself. They were companions.

"Well? Are you coming?" A voice said from a few feet in front of him. He looked up and saw that Rukia was staring at him with raised eyebrows and her hands on her hips. He scowled and rolled his eyes before nodding and following her once again.

"Where are we going now?" He inquired as soon as they stepped into the forest. The girl in front of him didn't respond, so he sighed and continued. After what felt like quite a while, she stopped and looked at a tree. Ichigo couldn't comprehend what was so fascinating about the tree and when he saw Rukia looking up, he copied her and tilted his head to look up the tree. It was so dense up there that he couldn't see anything but leaves. He rolled his eyes and walked up to Rukia. She had her back to him, but he touched her arm to get her attention. When she looked at him though, a small smile brightened her features.

"What are we doing here?" He asked her in a low voice, not wanting to disturb the perfect peace that surrounded them.

"You'll see." She said mysteriously and stroked the large trunk of the tree. Ichigo couldn't understand what she was doing, but then again, he rarely understood her at all.

"Damn it Midget… Tell me what you're doing." He said and ran his hand through his hair. Rukia rolled her eyes at him and smiled slightly.

"If you were less loud, maybe you would already know." She replied, causing the man with her to go dead still. He waited and waited, but nothing happened and after a while he huffed impatiently.

"What are we doing here Midget?" He asked again and crossed his arms over his chest. Rukia slapped his good arm and he scowled at her.

"Shut up and listen you fool!" She said and rested her right hand on the tree. She held her dress with her other hand and closed her eyes. After a few seconds of scepticism, he too shut his eyes and listened. For the first few seconds, there was nothing but silence around them and Ichigo felt like opening his eyes. He decided against it in the end and tried to see what Rukia found so fascinating about the tree she was holding onto. After a moment it hit him. With his eyes closed, the orange haired man could feel and hear a faint humming coming from the tree. He wouldn't have heard it if he hadn't closed his eyes, but because he had, he could. Apart from the noises around them, the birds singing, the leaves rustling, there was the tree and the sound that came from it. He was certain that it was coming from the tree, because as he put his hand on it, like Rukia was doing, he could feel a tingling sensation travel through his body.

"What is that?" Ichigo asked. He had never looked or listened for anything that small and he would have missed it were it not for Rukia.

"It's spirit." She said, her eyes still shut tight. "There's an old story that tells of a girl who got lost in the woods. They say she couldn't find her way back to her village and so she pleaded to the gods to help her. There was no way they could get her back to the village, so the King of the gods bound her spirit to this tree." At the end, her eyes fluttered open and Ichigo's throat constricted. How could anything that violet be so beautiful? The corner of her mouth turned up a bit.

"Do you believe the story?" The man asked as he looked at her. Rukia lifted her shoulders in a small shrug.

"I think it could be true…" she said and looked at the tree. "Or maybe trees also have spirits like us humans do."

It left Ichigo with a lot to think about. He could believe that plants have spirits, but he would have to have experienced it at least a little to believe it fully. He smiled when he thought about the fact that perhaps he just has.

"A lady of your stature shouldn't be wondering about things like these." He said mockingly and smirked at her. Her eyes immediately became accusing and she glared him down.

"Are you calling me short again Kaien Shiba?" She said and put her hands on her hips. Ichigo's brow furrowed further as he realised that he had phrased his sentence incorrectly.

"No, I just meant someone of your social standing." He said, defending himself slightly. He didn't want to get hit again. It wasn't as if it hurt when she smacked him, it just got annoying. Her eyes softened momentarily, but then she glared at him again, this time bringing her hands up to fold them over her chest.

"Are you saying I'm not allowed to think about philosophy?" She said, immediately suspicious of him again. Ichigo rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"No, you idiot. I was teasing you!" He said and leaned against the tree. Rukia's eyes grew and she dove for his torso. He wasn't sure if she just didn't want him to lean against the tree of whether it was something else entirely, but he never saw her coming.

"No!" He tried to warm her, as he was very unstable at that moment. She already had momentum though and barrelled into him, shoving him neatly to the forest floor. She landed on top of his chest with his arms around her from where he was trying to shield her from the fall. When they opened their eyes again, they were looking straight at each other, and Ichigo couldn't help but wonder why the hell these things kept happening to him. It was as if fate was screwing with him, wanting him to be closer to the one person he couldn't be closer to. For the second time that day he didn't want to move away from her. It felt like three seconds until Rukia's eyes darted to the side and she tried to wriggle out of his grip. Her attempt to get free only made Ichigo's body respond in the way he hated the most. It made him want to roll her over and trap her so she couldn't get away. When she was halfway up, Ichigo almost let her go, but something happened to him in that moment that made him do the opposite. And he wasn't sure if it had something to do with his erection or not.

He let go of her small body, only to grab her wrist and pull her down onto him again. He could see she was shocked through her body language, but that still didn't make him release his grip on her wrist. When he was sure she wasn't shocked enough to get up and run away, he gently let go of her wrist and put his hands on her hips. He had no idea what he was doing or why he was doing it, but it was as if his whole body wasn't under his control anymore.

Rukia's hair hung down the sides of her face, creating a curtain on both sides of Ichigo's face. His shoulder was tingling but at that moment he couldn't care less and he ignored it. Removing his good hand from her hip, he brought it up to her face. He brushed the stray strand of hair between her eyes to the side lightly, but stubbornly, the hair fell back into place. Rukia's breathing was irregular again and he wondered if it was because of him. His other hand curled around her small waist and held her to his chest. He didn't feel the wound in his shoulder, although he knew it was there.

Rukia's hands splayed across his chest and he could feel the heat between their bodies scorch him. He didn't know what to do. He wanted to keep her right there with him, but he knew that if he did so, he would be in big trouble. He tried not to think about it as his eyes raked every inch of her face, looking for something he could have missed in the past week, but he could find nothing. She was flawlessly beautiful.

"Are you alright?" he asked her in almost a whisper.

"Why don't you want to kiss me?" She asked instead of answering him. The orange haired knight felt like laughing. Why didn't he want to kiss her? Now that was one of the stupidest questions ever. He wanted to kiss the living daylights out of the girl lying on top of him, but he knew that if he did, he would be breaking a rule he set himself. He shook his head lightly, trying to put her off wanting the answer.

"Why?" She repeated. She was quite adamant to know and that made Ichigo want to laugh again. Leave it to Rukia to be so straightforward.

"I never said I don't want to kiss you." He said as answer and the smallest bit of honour he still had left hoped that she wouldn't try to kiss him again. He couldn't read the emotion in her eyes as he said it, but he knew that he had just dug himself a hole out of which he is going to have some trouble climbing.

"Do you want to kiss me?" She asked, honest, as usual. Ichigo blinked. He didn't know what to say. He wanted to kiss her, but he didn't want to _just_ kiss her. He could think of many things he wanted to do with her, but he tried to shut off his mind in fear of saying something he might regret. _Say no! _A part of his mind yelled at him. _But you already said you never said you don't want to kiss her!_ Another part argued back. Ichigo settled for a nod of his head. He didn't know what else to do. He could tolerate a slap through the face, but he didn't think he would be able to handle hurting her. Her face still showed no emotion, but her eyes shone with delight. A small smile adorned Ichigo's lips and he realised just how much he loved seeing those eyes shine like that.

For the second time in Ichigo's life, time seemed to stop completely. The soft floor of the forest under them didn't matter, and the birds seemed to stop singing altogether. Rukia shifted her weight a bit, and the small movement made the grown male's body heat up even more. He wanted to shove her away and hate her for making him feel like he was, but he couldn't bring himself to even take his eyes off her. When the tip of her nose touched his, a small and weak warning bell went off in his mind. Just as she was about to lean closer, her eyes grew and she shoved herself away from him. A sharp pain stabbed into his chest and he wondered if that was what Rukia had felt like when he had rejected her.

"You're bleeding." She said and brought her hand up to pull his leather waistcoat off. He complied and lifted his arm to help her. Somehow, it felt wrong. She was undressing him, but for a different reason than he had fantasised about moments ago. As soon as she had removed the waistcoat, Ichigo could see the red. It had spread down the length of his arm and over his chest and he wondered how long it had been bleeding.

Rukia scrambled to get off him wanted to help him sit up. He scowled at her and pulled his shirt off. As soon as it was out of the way, the dark haired lady gasped and stared at him. Ichigo could see he was covered in blood and that it wasn't going to be an easy task getting himself clean without a bath.

"Great." He muttered and started using his shirt to mop up the blood. The bandage was stained and Rukia undid the bow and removed the bandage without any trouble. She told him to sit still so she can put the bandage back on. He did so, but after a few seconds he started swabbing again.

"Fool." Rukia said and yanked the cloth out of his hand. "Here."

She pressed the cotton to his skin and allowed the cloth to soak up most of the blood before she removed it and placed it on another part of his chest. It took a while before all the blood was gone.

"Let's get going before you're soaked again." She said and got up off the grass, taking his shirt with her. Ichigo followed her and they swiftly walked back to Zangetsu and got onto the horse. Once again, Rukia sat in the same position she sat in previously, but this time, Ichigo couldn't concentrate on anything but his shoulder. He could feel the blood coming out of the wound, but the bandage stopped it from going very far. If they had left it though, he would've already been soaked in blood from head to toe.

"Are you still alright?" Rukia asked without looking back. Zangetsu was jogging already and all of a sudden dizziness fell over the knight. Without thinking, he wrapped his arms around Rukia and held on, afraid that he might fall off.

* * *

She guided Zangetsu right up to the front door and jumped off, telling Kaien to stay put. She was sick of his wound already, even though she felt sorry for him. She wanted to sigh, but she was out of breath when she rushed into the castle. She grabbed the first person she could find, who happened to be Toshiro, and dragged him outside to help the king while she ran off to look for Orihime.

She found the healer in Yukata and Renji's room, wiping all available surfaces with a damp cloth, chatting away to Yukata, who was sitting cross-legged on his bed. She listened to what Rukia said and almost started panicking when she heard that Kaien was hurt. Again.

Without another glance at the other man in the room, Orihime rushed off. Yukata was up in a heartbeat and followed the two girls to the Kings room. He wasn't there yet, so they started running back to the main entrance. On the way, they stumbled across the two people they were looking for. The dark haired knight immediately jumped in and helped Toshiro walk the king to his room.

"Idiots." Kaien said in a strained voice. "I _can_ walk." He was incredibly pale as he looked up from where he was struggling along to his room. His eyes met Rukia's and she glared at him. Toshiro grunted.

"Fool! Do you think you can even stand on your own two feet? You are not indestructible!" The short man said and pulled him along. Rukia marvelled at how strong the two smallest knights were as she stood there staring after them. She couldn't understand how the king's knights could be so disrespectful towards him. Then she wanted to laugh as she realised that he didn't seem to care what they called him.

"Is he okay?" Orihime asked next to her. Rukia blinked up at the auburn haired girl and wanted to slap her.

"I don't know. That's why I called you!" She said and made Orihime jump. The healer nodded and rushed off after the knights. Rukia felt like following, but she doubted that her feet could carry her that far. She sank down onto her haunches and buried her face in her hands. She felt numb and dull and it was as if there was a thudding pain in her chest that didn't want to go away. Rukia wanted to cry, but she couldn't squeeze a single tear out of her eyes. After a few moments of trying, she gave up, sighed and got up. She put her best Kuchiki mask on, and forced her legs to carry her in the direction of the King's bedroom.

...

Byakuya sighed internally when he heard that the king had ripped the wound open and was now faint because of the blood loss. Though the dark haired man would never admit to thinking so, he did believe the king was a reckless boy who should be kept at home instead of courting his sister. His grip on the quill tightened when he thought about the two of them together. Generally he allowed Rukia to do as she pleased, but seeing her with this dolt made him want to murder the man himself. He seemed well-mannered and proper, but when he heard how the king spoke to Rukia, he was appalled. He thought that the man would at least be as courteous towards the Lady of Lancaster as he was towards the Count. Byakuya put the quill down and folded his hands in his lap. His face didn't move as he stared at the page in front of him. What would happen if he indeed caught the person who had tried to shoot the King of Camelot? The Count didn't have a lot of faith in the fact that they would, seeing how easy it was to leave a bow and arrow anywhere for someone else to pick up. There was no use in continuing the search, though he stationed most of his best knights outside the castle to be on the lookout for anything suspect. Byakuya shut his eyes briefly and when he opened them again, he picked up the quill to continue his work.

A few moments later, there was a soft knock on his door.

"Yes?" He answered without looking up. He assumed it was Suί-Fēng as she was one of the only ones allowed to disturb him while he was working.

"Little Byakuya!" A voice said. It was a voice that definitely did not belong to the small lady who was his second in command. Byakuya looked up from his work and his eyes met with golden ones. He blinked at the lady with the purple hair who now stood in front of him. She had her one hand on her hip and a feral grin on her face. Byakuya could feel the rage building up in him at her calling him that.

"Lady Yoruichi." He greeted and put his quill down again. This woman would be the end of him one day. He could get so mad at her for calling him little. "Can I help you with something?"

His attitude towards her was especially hostile, since she was the only one who dared to tease him and got away with it. Byakuya bit into his tongue. He liked to tell himself it was because she was a woman, but that didn't keep him from swearing at her in his head.

"Yes." She said and smiled brightly. "Urahara and I would like to be granted permission to stand by the king at all times, in case a scenario like this happens again." Byakuya started to bring his hand up to rub his temple, but he clenched it into a fist and dropped it into his lap again. He had no right to say no, he knew. But he also knew that if he said yes, and the king noticed that they were sticking as close to him as they could, he would order them to respect his space and say that he can take care of himself. Byakuya wasn't so sure about that, but he nodded nonetheless.

"You may, if you keep a distance from him and as long as he doesn't notice you." He replied and picked up his pen. Yoruichi nodded and left, knowing she had been dismissed.

...

Kaien wasn't sure if he would make it through the day. Even though he had just gotten Aizen away and out of his kingdom, he felt exhausted and drained. It was as if the man was a leech and suck out all the energy you possibly had left in you.

"Your majesty?" Kyoraku said from behind him. Since Urahara left, he asked for this man to stay by his side. Shunsui was a good friend. He was lazy and sometimes one wanted to stab him for being so laid back, but he was dependable and always there when he was needed.

"I don't think Lancaster is even going to have a grace period." Kaien said, more to himself than to the man next to him.

"What do you mean?" His friend asked with a quizzical look on his face.

"He knows something." It took a while for the brown haired man to register what Aizen could know.

"What is going to happen to Lancaster if he does know?" Shunsui asked, feeling the dread that was settling in his friend.

"I don't know, but stand ready for Urahara's message." Kaien replied and turned around to head into the castle. Shunsui couldn't help but wonder what message a man could possibly send that could get here fast enough for Camelot to respond.

"Ichigo, I hope you are damn prepared boy." Kyoraku said and felt a flicker of hope reside within him. Ichigo was the best knight Camelot had. If there was anyone who would ready, it was him.

...

Rukia sat next to the king while Orihime put on her ointments and things again. She pondered about how it could be possible for one little wound to be so troublesome. She had almost forgotten about the cursed shoulder when they had gotten to the Tree and as soon as she saw the blood, she could feel the anger pulse through her. Why did he have to get hurt? Whose sick idea was it to hurt a king? She clenched her hands into fists and felt like hitting something. She held perfectly still though and watched how the healer wrapped the shoulder in a bandage again.

So close. He had said he wanted to kiss her, but he made no move to move closer to her. She was worried about him as she looked at him lying there.

"Hey Midget, stop worrying!" Kaien's voice came from the bed. Rukia scowled at him, not wanting to admit that that was exactly what she had been doing. She folded her arms and stuck her nose in the air, trying to keep her face passive.

"Idiot, I'm not worrying. You could die there for all I care." She said and lifted her one eyebrow. Kaien snorted in laughter and made Rukia want to hit him.

"But you do care." He said and looked away as if she really shouldn't give a crap about him.

"No." She said stubbornly. Kaien smirked and the violet eyed girl knew he was right. She did care. At first she thought she was attracted to him in a purely physical way, and that attraction was proven twice today. But now she realised that she didn't like seeing him look so weak and helpless. Rukia turned her head away and looked at the painting on the wall opposite the window.

As soon as Orihime was done, she got up and left and Kaien immediately stood up, not wanting to be bedridden again. Rukia rolled her eyes and wanted to shove him back onto the bed and keep him there. She didn't like seeing him there, but she wanted that shoulder to heal as fast as it possibly could.

"You dimwit. It's not going to get better if you don't keep it still." She chided and got up to push him back onto the bed. He shrugged her off and walked over to where his clothes were. He picked out a cream coloured shirt and shrugged it on, not bothering to think about the fact that his blood flow hadn't stabilized yet. As soon as he brought his arm down again, he paled even more and stumbled slightly. Rukia stepped forward and grabbed his good arm to support him and keep him from falling.

"What do you know?" He said sarcastically, but Rukia could tell he was just mad at himself for being weak. Anger built up inside her and she glared an icy glare at him.

"Stop it." She said and looked him straight in the eye. He blinked down at her and she wanted to scold him like one would scold a child.

"What?" He asked, unsure what she was going on about.

"Stop feeling sorry for yourself and stay still so that thing can heal." She said firmly and crossed her arms over her chest again. The man in front of her scowled.

"I'm not feeling sorry for myself." He told her pigheadedly and tried to blink the dizziness away. Rukia planted a well-aimed slap to his stomach and he glared at her.

"Yes you are." She said and pointed her finger at him. "So you've gotten hurt. So what? The most important thing is that you know it's going to heal." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, but the look on her face was almost scary. "Stop moaning and wait for the stupid thing to heal already. Orihime said it's going to take two days for that wound to close up properly, so sit tight, shut up and wait." Rukia turned around and walked to the door. She didn't look back once, as she left him staring after her.

_He would have to learn to be patient and take care of himself, stubborn dolt_. Rukia thought to herself as she walked to the dining hall. She knew the king would be taken care of, but could he take care of himself? She sighed as she strode into the dining hall and saw someone at the table she had not thought she would see in a way. Right next to her brother, there was a man with pink hair and glasses. She had thought he was on a journey to trade with other kingdoms, but there he was, staring at her with a very warm grin on his face.

"Rukia, how nice to see you." He said and waved at her. She nodded her head and kept her face passive like her brother taught her.

"It is good to have you back Szayel." She said and took a seat.

"Yes, it is a pity I'm only seeing you now. I've been back for almost four days." Rukia nodded and asked him how his trip was. He produced a silver locket and handed it to her. Rukia looked at her brother from the corner of her eye and saw him nod the smallest yes she had ever seen. She took it and placed it around her own neck. It was pretty, but she couldn't understand why he had given it to her.

"It comes from the Grand Duke Aizen as a gift. I met him on the way back." He said and nodded to her. The dark haired girl didn't really know the Grand Duke, but she knew he had taken a fancy to her when she was only thirteen.

"Thank you." She said. She didn't care whether he had taken a fancy to her, and although she didn't want the locket, she knew it would be rude to decline.

No one saw Count Kuchiki tense when Szayel said the name 'Aizen.

* * *

**So there you are! Wow, I think this is the longest chapter I've written thus far! ;) Anyhow, I want to say thank you all for giving your input! I love to hear what you guys want from this story. **

**Just a small reminder, this story is rated M, so if you guys come across some serious smut in later chapters, don't get mad at me! ;) But I know you guys are ready for it, otherwise you would have decided against reading this story… Am I right? :P **

**So, Szayel is only creepy to Ichigo. Rukia grew up with him around so she likes him and he's like a cousin to her. But I think you guys could collect that from their interaction! **

**I have quite a lot planned for the next few chapters, so get ready for some action! ;)**

**Something else, please tell me if you guys are getting sick of my sexy 'almost kiss' scenes? But I like them! :P You guys are just going to have to be patient if you want them to kiss already! **

**Let's have a little poll… I'm not saying I'm going to make it happen, but just for interest sake… Who would like Ichigo and Rukia to kiss the next time they are in a situation like this one and the one in the bedroom? Just for interest sake… I've already got their first kiss planned, so maybe if enough people say yes, I'll see what I can do! **

**PLEASE REVIEW GUYS! I love to hear your thoughts and things! If there's something silly I missed please tell me, but don't seriously flame my story… Like don't burn me with your flames… Me no liky! **

**REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! **


	12. Where is your Cold Shoulder now?

**Well hello dear readers!**

**I am so sorry for the long wait, but I had a few hitches along the way. I had to finish exams you see… In any case, they are over now and I've got some time to do with whatever I want! But that is not the point! I'm just sorry I took so long! Also, there was a flame that put me off writing this chapter for quite a while. So once again! Sorry!**

**Great! So A LOT happens in this chapter, but maybe not what everyone wants to happen. I'll write the rest of my authors note at the end… I can tell you are all hungry for the story! Here you go! **

**~Disclaimer: I own bleach… You know the kind you use to keep your school shirts **_**really **_**white! The other Bleach? Yeah, not so much. **

**You say it's all in my head  
And the things I think just don't make sense  
So where you been then? Don't go all coy  
Don't turn it round on me like it's my fault  
See I can see that look in your eyes  
The one that shoots me each and every time**

**You grace me with your cold shoulder**  
**Whenever you look at me I wish I was her**  
**You shower me with words made of knives**  
**Whenever you look at me I wish I was her**

**~Cold shoulder, by Adele**

* * *

**Where is your cold shoulder now?**

The next three days passed in a blur and neither Ichigo nor Rukia spent a moment alone. They were either in each other's presence, or they were doing something else entirely. There was a comfortable air in the castle, and Rukia almost always walked around with a smile on her face.

She had no idea if it was the sometimes idiotic king who put the smile there. But it was there, and she only hid it when she was in her brother's company.

The wound in Kaien's shoulder closed up nicely, and as soon as Orihime was sure that the thing won't open up again, she removed the bandages to allow the sore some air. Somehow, Rukia was disappointed that Kaien hadn't moved in to kiss her again, but she could also understand that he had other duties to fulfil. These duties included: teasing Renji, annoying Toshiro and having very long chats with Yukata. Yeah, never mind. They weren't as much 'duties' as they were the king trying to keep everyone happy.

The book in Rukia's hand suddenly lost all its impact and she put it down, uninterested. She hadn't seen the orange haired man all day and she was tired of sitting around waiting for him to show up. She didn't know what she was expecting. Perhaps she hoped he would come and pick her up, twirl her around in his arms and kiss her, but she tried to put the thought out of her head. Hope could crush someone, she knew. But for some reason she found that she wanted to put all the hope she still had, in the man with the ridiculous orange hair.

She stood up and put the book down on the table. She knew she would come back for it later, so she didn't give it another thought. As she walked out of the library and down the hall, her mind drifted to her and Kaien's 'almost kisses'. The way she felt when his eyes warmed up, warmed her up. She smiled again and kept her eyes in front of her so she wouldn't trip as she walked out of the castle and into the garden.

* * *

"On your toes _your highness._" Yukata said with a smirk as he brought the sword down, aiming it at Ichigo's head. The orange haired man dodged it with ease and brought his sword up. He didn't touched the thing in about a week, thanks to the injury, but the skill he had did not disappear. He was a bit worn out, but he would keep going until he felt satisfied.

Yukata swung his sword, aiming for Ichigo's stomach, but the orange haired man blocked the blade and scowled his signature never-to-be-removed scowl.

"You're not focussed." He heard Toshiro say from the side-lines. Ichigo grunted in annoyance, but knew that his silver haired friend was right. Ichigo's head was somewhere else, and he did not want anyone to know where his thoughts were.

He wanted to kill Kaien for making him do this. Then, he wanted to resurrect the man, and kill him again, just to be able to demonstrate exactly how hard this was for Ichigo. He couldn't like her. He knew he couldn't. But he did, and it killed him, more than he would ever admit.

For a moment, he stuck the sharp end of his sword into the ground and leaned on the hilt to gather his thoughts. He knew he had to pull himself together, and keep himself in top shape. It was a precaution and it was because he didn't want an incident to occur again. He wanted to be prepared for anything.

When he looked up again, his eyes were hard and determined and even the two violet orbs that were watching him couldn't distract him.

* * *

Rukia watched him spar with Yukata in amusement and awe. He definitely didn't let anything get in his way, and he moved with purpose. When he brought the sword down, it was serious and had meaning. She watched Yukata jump around and dodge his strikes skilfully, but after a while, even Yukata couldn't keep up. Glee shone in Kaien's brown eyes as they fought and perspiration glistened on his forehead.

Rukia stood with her hand on her cheek, watching him. He moved much differently than anyone she had ever seen. He brother was agile, like a cat and caught his opponent by surprise most of the time. She could also tell that Yukata's advantage was his speed. The force that went into the sword was also quite something. Kaien, on the other hand, went straight in there with brute force, purpose and determination. She understood that he was motivated by the thought of winning, but she promised herself that she would ask him about it when she got the chance.

She could also tell that he was enjoying himself. His honey eyes looked brighter and more alert, as well as happy and full of pride. She smiled as she looked into his face. She couldn't help but see how handsome he looked at that moment.

Rukia blinked and felt someone standing next to her. Renji had his arms folded when she looked up at him and smiled. He grinned back coyly and continued watching the fight with her. She enjoyed Renji's company and she wanted to tell him about what she thought of Kaien and how her first impression of him has changed in a week and a half. Somehow, though, she knew he wouldn't want to hear about her admiration for the king. So instead she stood there, watching, enjoying his presence.

"Ha!" She heard and Yukata shook his head in defeat. Her eyes were still on Kaien and she watched as he wiped his forehead on his sleeve and assumed the same position he had been in a few moments ago.

"Come on Uryū." Kaien said as he saw the lean raven haired knight approach. Uryū looked up from the notebook in his hand and gave the king an incredulous look. Kaien's eyebrow twitched and a small smirk crept onto his face when Ishida sighed and handed the notebook to Toshiro before unsheathing his sword, not even bothering to crouch in the same way Kaien currently was.

Uryū pointed his sword at the ground and without warning, Kaien leaped at him. The dark haired man stepped out of the way of the attack, effectively dodging him without breaking a sweat.

"I know your Style, Kaien." Ishida said in a monotone. "Even if you are a good swordsman, I know your moves and they always stay the same."

Rukia could feel the tension curl up in her stomach. She could feel that she was getting enwrapped in the fight, even if it was just training. Her hand that had been resting on her cheek, moved to her mouth and she put her fingers on her bottom lip in nervous excitement.

Uryū showed Kaien that his theory about the king's moves was correct and the dark haired man took him down without much of a fight. He didn't actually stab him, but with a very hard shove, the king went down.

"Again." Kaien growled and got up off the ground. Uryū sighed and they sparred again. This time, Kaien didn't do what he did a few moments ago, and surprised Ishida when he thought he was going to attack but instead stepped around him and tried from a different angle. A small smile played on Uryū's lips as the king became less predictable by the minute.

Suddenly, the raven haired man stopped. The king was huffing as he looked up at his friend.

"What?" He asked and leaned on his sword.

"No one is going to know if you always use the same fighting style Ku-aien." Ishida said. "I've just seen you at it more than enough to be surprised with your style and attacks."

Uryū shrugged and sheathed his sword again. The orange head of hair slowly moved up and down. It was as if he was listening to the advice, but he could also just have been nodding, pretending to listen.

Abruptly, Rukia stepped forward. She didn't know what made her do so, but she had a strange need to fight the king.

"Teach me." She demanded. She could hear the crunch of her delicate feet on the rough ground. All the heads turned to her as she walked up to the king. An arched eyebrow above honey brown eyes stared at her as she held out her hand for a sword. Rukia knew she was being demanding, but she wanted this much more than she had initially realized.

"Here you are m'lady." Renji said and handed her his sword. As soon as she had it in her hand she almost dropped it. It was incredibly heavy, but if she considered Renji's build, she could understand why.

Rukia shook her head and almost dragged the sword closer to Renji.

"I'm not sure if this is a very good idea, your highness." Toshiro said as he took his sword out and reluctantly handed it to Rukia.

"I'm not very confident about this either, m'lady." Uryū said and cleared his throat. He didn't think the Count would be very impressed with any of them if he knew what she was doing.

"I want to." Rukia said and gripped the sword in both hands. The king gave her one look and snorted. Her eyes narrowed and she stood up straight, staring at him.

"Do you find me amusing, your highness?" Rukia asked him without moving a single muscle in her face. She stared at him; Glared at him, daring him to tease her again. Kaien's eyebrows scrunched together even tighter as he considered what she had just said. When he was done with his private musings, Rukia was getting impatient.

"If you teach me for a few moments, I will not ask you again." She compromised. She hoped that the king would want to teach her, and at that moment, she couldn't have cared less what her brother thought about her bearing a sword. She looked into the king's face and he nodded, although a little bit reluctantly. A smug smile flickered across Rukia's face and she stood up straight, waiting for him to show her what to do.

"Just bend your legs and relax. The sword isn't going anywhere, remember." He said and bent his own knees slightly. She loosened her grip a little bit and copied his move.

It turned out that the King was really fast. Rukia's reflexes weren't too bad either, but she was having fun. She knew he was going easy on her and it bothered her a bit, but not enough to spoil her pleasure.

"Watch out m'lady." The king said. There was a mischievous glint in his brown eyes, and it made Rukia want to live up to the challenge he put out. The thing was that she wasn't really sure what exactly the challenge was. Did it mean that she had to beat him? Or was it her job just to make sure his sword didn't graze her skin? Rukia could feel her face morph into a bright grin as she stabbed and swung the sword. She felt like a little girl, engaged in a dance.

A laugh bubbled out of her mouth as she hit her sword against the King's with a clang. She thought he must have faked it, but his sword fell to the ground and she pointed hers at his throat. She smiled at him. The cunning glint in his eyes wasn't gone and Rukia lifted her eyebrows up in a 'you-dare-challenge-me' way. The corners of Kaien's mouth turned up a bit and he smiled at her.

"Well done." He said and put his finger to the sword, pushing it away from his face. He took a step closer to the raven haired lady and looked down into her face. She could still see the beads of perspiration on his forehead and she had the strange desire to wipe it away. Rukia moved her eyes to the side, looking for the rest of the knights. Most of them had already left, but Toshiro was still there, sitting on the grass with his legs crossed.

Rukia made a teasing curtsy towards the king and walked over to Toshiro gracefully.

"Thank you." She said and held the sword out to him. The white haired knight stood up and took the sword from her hands. He acknowledged her thanks with a nod and put the sword back into its sheath. Then, he turned around and left.

* * *

Ichigo wanted to smile. He knew it was wrong, but he also knew that he was doomed either way. He knew that no matter what he did, the Lady of Lancaster would always have a special place in his heart.

"So, your highness," Rukia said in a teasing voice. "Was that a real win, or did you fake it to make me happy?" She said and raised a single eyebrow.

Ichigo pulled his shoulders up in a shrug, but his face was turned up in a smile.

"Well, I can't say." He said and sheathed his own sword which he had picked up when Rukia gave Toshiro his weapon back.

"Which would you like it to be?" He asked nonchalantly, teasing her. Rukia rolled her eyes and slapped his stomach lightly. Ichigo didn't even pretend to flinch like he usually did, because he knew that her slap had no intention of hurting.

He sighed internally and looked into Rukia's violet eyes. He felt like he just got to know her and had to now leave her. He snorted when he realized that that was exactly true. He still had another three days with her, but the time was moving at a much too rapid pace for the orange haired man. He knew that if he were to close his eyes for too long, it would be over. So far he was pretty proud of himself for not grabbing her and kissing her. He was proud of his self-restraint even if it was pretty low.

"What's the matter?" Rukia asked him, putting her hand on his where it rested on his sword. Ichigo tried to ignore her hand and shook his head. His eyebrows were pulled together tightly. He understood that he had been distracted momentarily by all the thoughts running amok in his head.

"Nothing is wrong Midget." He said and started walking back to the castle. "Come one, it's almost lunch and I'm hungry."

He knew she was rolling her eyes behind his back, but after a few moments, he sensed that she was following him. He smiled.

* * *

"It's really close, my dear." Urahara said and looked up at the few clouds floating around in the sky. Yoruichi sat on the grass, with her eyes closed. Her hair lightly touched her face where the breeze caressed the strands of purple. She nodded and opened her eyes.

"When do you want to warn Camelot?" She asked and shifted so she was sitting with her legs crossed at the ankles.

"A few more hours should do it." He said and sat down next to her. They had been watching Ichigo and Rukia from a distance, and neither Urahara nor Yoruichi felt like following them back to the dining hall. "I'll send the message before nightfall. They should be here by morning."

He leaned back and put his head in the ground. He looked up at his wife and he sighed.

"Who?" She asked suddenly. "Who will be here by morning? Kaien, or…" She drifted off and looked at him. Urahara closed his eyes.

"Both." He said. His facial expression didn't change and he reached out to find Yoruichi's hand. She gave him her fingers and their hands locked together.

After a long pause, Kisuke spoke again.

"Isn't it troublesome?" He asked and opened his eyes to look at his wife. She stared down at him and cocked her head in curiosity. "Being married to a magician?"

Yoruichi smiled and leaned down. She touched her lips to his and closed her eyes.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." She whispered and kissed him again. "Silly old Magician." She smacked him on his chest. Urahara grinned and wriggled his eyebrows. The purple haired lady laughed and kissed her husband again.

"Even if you were an old and hairy ape man, I would still love you." She said then touched her finger to the corner of her mouth and pulled her face in a funny way. "Hmm… Or maybe not." She said. Kisuke laughed and pulled her down next to him. She wrapped her arm around him and put her head on his shoulder. She would never get tired of being with him. Sure, the silly man had his flaws, but she knew he could always count on her to be there, no matter what happened. She smiled and leaned over to kiss him on his cheek. They both smiled and lay there until a big storm cloud covered the sun.

* * *

"Kaien?" A voice called from just outside the king's door. The dark haired man sighed and put away the sword he was examining.

"Yes?" He asked and kept his eyes on the door. When it opened, a very angry Karin Kurosaki stood there with her hand on her hip.

"It's been two weeks, Kaien." She demanded. "My brother should have come home for dinner three nights ago, and sometimes he gets caught up, I get it. But he never stays away the next night if he couldn't make the previous one. Where is he?" She demanded and glared at the king. Kaien wondered if it was a Kurosaki thing, calling him by his first name. He sighed and stood up. Karin's eyes fell on the sword on his desk and her eyes read bloody murder.

"Where are they?" she demanded. The king's one eyebrow lifted at the word 'they'.

"Your brother and four other knights are in Lancaster. He is courting Rukia Kuchiki." He said calmly. Karin's eyes never left the sword on the desk. She dropped her hand from her hip and balled it into a fist.

"Why?" She asked harshly, finally meeting his eyes.

"Because your brother is part of the bigger scheme of things. He needs to be there." He replied and frowned at Karin's anger.

"Then why does he have your sword?" She asked and narrowed her eyes. Kaien should have known she would put the pieces together so fast. His having Ichigo's sword, must mean that Ichigo had his. Karin was smart and perceptive. She also obviously knew her brother's sword really well.

"I'm sorry Karin, but I cannot tell you why. Some things are better left unknown." He said and shook his head. Karin took a deep breath and glared at the king.

"If something happens to my brother and-'' she stopped herself before rambling on. "If he gets hurt, it's on your shoulders." She said and pointed a lean finger at the king. _She had grown up_. He thought to himself as she stormed out of the room. He could tell she was a warrior, like her brother, and if it were allowed, he would have made her a knight. A sad smile flickered across his face as he sat down and looked at Ichigo's sword again.

"I hope nothing happens to him, Karin." He said softly and touched the hilt of Ichigo's sword.

* * *

Rukia's stomach started to turn that afternoon. She knew it wasn't hunger, because she had eaten enough, and she knew it wasn't Kaien, because he had a different, more fluttering effect on her. This was something else. The comfortable air of the past few days seemed to have disappeared completely. She was unsure if it was just her imagination, but along with her turning stomach, the entire castle went quiet. It was almost as if someone had died and no one dared speak too loudly. It was strange and had a very unnerving result on Rukia. Even the Count was slightly more tense than usual. Paranoia would be a good word to use. It felt like someone was watching her. And she could tell her brother felt that way too.

When she saw him at lunch she couldn't help but notice him glancing over his shoulder inconspicuously every so often.

She resisted the urge to ask him what was wrong. She knew he would be evasive. Once again, the book no longer held Rukia's interest. She looked at the king, reading silently in a chair opposite hers.

"Do you also feel that something is out of place?" Rukia asked him. He looked up from his book and lowered it onto his lap.

"What do you mean?" He asked, but she had the sneaky suspicion that he knew exactly what she meant.

"Something feels wrong." She said and looked around her. "In a way I feel helpless, like something is about to happen. Something I have no control over." She said and picked at a piece of dead skin next to her thumb nail.

Kaien nodded and closed his book.

"I feel it." He said and Rukia sighed. She didn't know what it was, but it felt bad. She smiled at him lightly and closed her book. She had given up on it that morning.

"How's your shoulder?" She asked and looked at where the arrow had hit him over a week ago. Kaien shrugged and a small smiled played on his lips.

"I'm not dead, so I guess it's almost healed." He said. Rukia stared at him. She still couldn't understand how someone with such a strange hair colour could be so handsome to her. At that moment she stopped denying everything. He _was _ _did _make her smile for no reason whatsoever. And she _did _want to marry him. Warmth filled her up as she blinked rapidly at the man sitting in front of her. How was it possible to fall for someone in just two weeks? She felt like a lovesick teenager.

"Kaien?" She asked and tilted her head to the side a bit. The orange haired king lifted his eyebrow at her and nodded his head once.

"Do you regret coming here?" She asked him, and looked into his honey brown eyes.

* * *

Ichigo felt his shoulders tense and he wondered if she could see it. He closed his eyes in a blink and concentrated on his breathing. It took him milliseconds to respond. He shook his head slowly.

"No." He said and watched Rukia's face. He couldn't lie to her about that. A fierce hope began to bubble in his chest. "No, I don't regret it." He said again.

No matter what he kept telling himself about duty and loyalty, he couldn't deny that he had never truly regretted coming here. He hated his king for what he did to him, but he could never really be sorry about what he did. He liked Rukia. A lot more than he was supposed to like her, but he knew that he would never deny it.

He was mad at himself for coming to Lancaster. He was mad at his king. He was really angry that he had grown attached to Rukia, but he didn't regret any of it.

Ichigo's mouth turned up at the one corner and he shook his head.

Rukia's eyes shone. They still mesmerized Ichigo and he wondered if he would ever be able to forget those violet orbs. Of course, she would hate him once she found out that he had been lying to her, but he assumed that he would be far away by then. He had thought about it, and he knew it would hurt too much to stay in Camelot or in Lancaster after the marriage. He knew he was going to have to leave. It didn't pain him as much as he thought it would, but he knew the hurt was going to get worse once he handed her over to Kaien.

_Ha._ Ichigo snorted. He made it sound like she was a parcel, though he knew she was so much more than that.

Dinner passed in a blur and Ichigo headed up to bed soon after it. He wanted to keep Rukia company, but he couldn't stand it anymore. He wanted to spend every second he could with her, but he felt that that would make it harder when he had to leave.

He drifted off as soon as his head hit the pillow.

* * *

When Rukia woke up the next morning, a feeling of death rang through her body. She got up quickly, doing as little as possible with her hair. She threw on a dress and almost ran down the stairs. Something was very off, and Rukia didn't like it at all.

She knocked on her brother's study's door and entered without waiting for an answer.

"Brother." She breathed when she walked in. No one answered her, because there was no one behind the desk and the office was empty. The raven haired lady dreaded the day immediately.

"Brother?" she called as she glided to the dining hall. That was also empty. She told herself to calm down and just look somewhere else, but the panic seemed to raise bile in her throat.

Rukia allowed her feet to carry her to where her instincts were guiding her; she walked out of the main entrance and ran right into someone's chest. She shook the shock away and looked up into her brother's face.

"Rukia." He said. It could've been her imagination, but he sounded relieved. "Were is Ku- the king?" He asked. Rukia felt her eyes narrow. Byakuya Kuchiki sounded unsure. Something was definitely not right.

"I do not know." She said and kept her face passive.

"Go find him. And his knights." The count said and turned her by her shoulders. Rukia was so startled at his touch that she almost tripped over her own two feet. Byakuya Kuchiki _never _touched her. Upon the shock, she sprang into action and moved towards the King's chambers. She would get the knights after she had spoken to the king.

* * *

The pounding on his door made Ichigo jump. He was almost dressed and pulled his shirt over his head as a small figure with midnight black hair stormed into his room. Rukia's eyes were wide and filled with shock. A wave of adrenalin shot through Ichigo and he immediately put his hands on Rukia's small shoulders.

"Rukia, what's wrong?" He asked solemnly.

"My brother is looking for you." She said and Ichigo stiffened.

"Where is he?" He asked and Rukia told him that he was standing outside. Ichigo nodded and grabbed his sword before rushing past her.

* * *

She felt frozen for a few seconds until she forced her legs to start moving again. She knew she had to get the knights as soon as possible. Her brother could be really impatient sometimes.

"Rukia?" Renji asked when he opened the door and saw her standing there. He wasn't wearing a shirt, only a pair of breeches. She repeated the story and told Renji that her brother was looking for them. Renji nodded in understanding and rushed to put a shirt on and call the rest of the knights. Rukia left it to Renji to get the rest downstairs.

* * *

Ichigo felt his heart stop when he saw why the Count was looking for him. In front of the castle, looking towards him, were all the knights of Camelot, with Kaien Shiba in the front. The knights were all silent, and Ichigo could see the serious expression in their faces. Something was wrong.

"Ichigo Kurosaki." The Count said and nodded to him. He could feel the glare behind the Count's façade.

"My Lord." Ichigo said and bowed. Then he turned to the king and bowed to him. "Your majesty."

He didn't know what to do, what to say or how to act. Everything was over. He didn't have to pretend anymore… but somewhere in his heart, he knew the pretence wasn't completely over yet.

"Kurosaki. As far as everyone knows, you are still King." Kaien said and dismounted his horse. "As far as Rukia knows." He added and looked at Byakuya Kuchiki. The Count nodded. Ichigo nodded, but before he could ask what they were doing here, Rukia rushed out of the door and gasped at the group of around a hundred knights on horses.

Her lips formed a perfect circle as she tried to figure out what was going on. Renji, Yukata, Uryū and Toshiro rushed up behind her and almost fell flat on their faces when they saw what stood outside waiting for them. Toshiro looked suspicious and put his hand up to silence the knights behind him. He was afraid that Renji would say something that would mess up the situation.

"Dismount, knights." Kaien called and all the knights got down from their horses. Well at least, those who were on horses. About half of the group were standing behind and beside those on horses. As soon as there was silence again, Kaien went down on one knee and bowed.

"Your majesty." He said to Ichigo. The rest of the knights did the same and Ichigo could feel his heart ripping. He couldn't do this. His king was bowing to him. The natural order of the universe seemed to turn upside down as the man who was pretending to be king nodded stiffly.

From the corner of his eyes, Ichigo saw a flash of blond and a splotch of purple. Urahara also bowed to Ichigo, followed by Yoruichi. After them, the four knights behind him joined their comrades and also bowed. Ichigo wanted to slap himself across the cheek.

Urahara stood.

"This kingdom is in danger." He said and addressed Ichigo. Numbly, the orange haired king nodded again. "These are your reinforcements."

Again, Ichigo nodded and turned to his king. Kaien stood.

"We are also a secret weapon." He said and turned to his knights. "Perhaps we should disappear." He said. Ichigo could tell he was winking, but he paid it no mind. Everyone nodded once and stood. Then, without warning, they started to retreat into the trees and disappeared behind the castle. In but a few minutes, there was no one left. Something strange happened then. Urahara smiled and all traces of the knights were swept away in a gust of wind.

* * *

Everyone in the castle had breakfast, readied themselves and sat around, waiting. Rukia could sit. She was pacing impatiently and Kaien was watching her.

"Who was that man?" She asked abruptly. "Is he your brother?" Kaien shook his head and pulled at a piece of thread on his shirt.

"No. He is my best knight." Rukia thought he looked pained as he said that. She inhaled sharply.

"You look so alike." She whispered.

"Yes," was the only reply she got. She started pacing again.

"Rukia." He said, startling her, pulling her from her thoughts. "I want you far away from all of this." His eyebrows were tightly knit and Rukia's eyes narrowed.

"No." She said with confidence. "This is my kingdom. My home. Nothing is happening to me or to the people who live here. I won't allow it."

Her eyes were fierce and she wondered if he would argue with her.

"Midget." He cursed. It didn't sound very intimidating though, and had a more caring ring to it.

"Idiotic dolt." She said and lifted her one eyebrow, daring him to call her a bitch again. Kaien rolled his eyes and watched her. Finally, Rukia sat down. Her feet ached from all the pacing, but she didn't mind.

"Please Rukia." He tried again. She shook her head ferociously and glared at him.

"I'll keep myself safe if you promise to not die." She said. Kaien exhaled in a sadistic laugh.

"We don't even know what is going to happen." He told her. She nodded once.

"Exactly." She told him then looked away as a light blush and a sad look crept across her face.

* * *

"It's time." Kisuke said four hours after the Camelot knights had arrived. He stood. Byakuya stood after him, followed by Yoruichi and they walked out of his office. Suί-Fēng was right behind the Count, her dark dress sweeping the floor. As the small party opened the door, a horse came galloping up to the steps. The stallion was as black as the night and even darker than Ichigo's horse.

A man with raven hair hopped off the horse and trained his eyes on the Count. He had no expression on his face and his eyes were a piercing emerald green. In his hand was a parchment. He walked up to the doors slowly then handed the parchment over. Then he spoke in a clear, crisp monotone.

"Lord Aizen declares a war." He said. A chill ran down every person present's spine. "It will continue for a week. Whichever side has the most casualties, loses. The leader of the winning side gains control over both Camelot and Lancaster."

The air around them stirred.

"Let the war commence." The man with the green eyes said and walked down to his horse again. With a very loud whistle, he signalled the start of a war.

Seconds later, chaos broke out.

* * *

**Well… I hope that surprise more people pleasantly than not! I would just like to add that yes… This story is obviously IchiRuki. And yes, there will be many more IchiRuki moments to come. This story also has a storyline and I have to remember that! I get a bit carried away at times! *Blush* **

**So anyhow. I have decided who is going to end up with Toshiro. You'll probably pick up some clues. :P Please, don't be disappointed in who I chose! I'm sorry if it wasn't who you guys wanted it to be! **

**Kay! So a few things relevant to the STORY! Or at least, a few plot holes. I bet you were all wondering how the fudge Ichigo's wound healed so quickly. Chalk it up to magic herbs and spices and blah blah blah, used by Orihime. I had to keep the story moving and I couldn't let our hero be out of play now could I? But perhaps his wound will give him some more trouble in the near future. We'll have to see. :P**

**Also! DUH! You can't have a Camelot without a Merlin… And Merlin was a magician. So yes, this story does have a bit of magic in it. But not enough to turn the whole war around for example! :P**

**I would very much like to thank everyone who reviewed my last chapter: **_**Tenshi-no-Megami, FacingLoveEmbracingMelody, H00rWithAPen, Fire331, darklover, chibiyukia, Glorious Prank, MurderedByAMarionette, gatita90, RyukLuvz**__**Applez**__**, snowball18 and QueenOfBloodlust**_

**Also! MY 100****th**** REVIEWER GETS A SPECIAL PRIZE! I could e.g. write you a one-shot that you recommend and want, give you a special shout out, tell everyone about your story and read it myself so I can tell everyone else to read it, put a character you want into this story some more etc. I'll be doing this with every 50****th**** reviewer! So please guys! Hit that button and tell me what you think! **

**VERY IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!  
****BETA-READER WANTED! I've been looking for someone to beta this story, but the problem is that I get no replies from those I asked to help. If there is someone who would like to help me with that, that would be great. It's only for small things like typo's and tenses and opinions and so forth! Please let me know!**

**So please REVIEW! I would like to get my reviews per chapter up to 20? Or is that aiming a bit high? :P PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE! Tell me what you think! The more reviews I get, the faster updates will come… I have time… It just depends on how you guys want me to spend it! :P**

**SO PLEASE REVIEW! **

**Ps. I have Twitter. Follow me if you'd like! Necia van Vuuren (Necia_chan)**


	13. What if I wanted to fight?

**I'M SORRY! *Holds arms over her head so no one would unexpectedly hit her*. I have failed to update in three months. THREE MONTHS! I am ashamed! **

**But no more of that… Here it is, finally! Chapter thirteen is up and ready to be read. Please enjoy it! :P I'll do the rest of the note at the end so you guys can just start reading already! Enjoy! **

**~Disclaimer: Me no own Bleach!**

**~Beta Reader: Abarai Starsha (Oh my gosh she's amazing! Thank you so much!)**

**What if I wanted to break  
Laugh it all off in your face  
What would you do?**

**What if I fell to the floor**  
**Couldn't take all this anymore**  
**What would you do, do, do?**

**Come break me down**  
**Marry me, bury me**  
**I am finished with you**

**What if I wanted to fight**  
**Beg for the rest of my life**  
**What would you do?**

**You say you wanted more**  
**What are you waiting for?**  
**I'm not running from you…**

**~The Kill, by 30 seconds to Mars**

* * *

**Chapter 13 – What if I wanted to fight?**

The quiet in the castle only lasted a few minutes before Rukia shot out of her chair and Ichigo's hand flew to his sword. Ichigo wanted to compare the situation to a storm; first there was a drizzle, but as soon as the lightning struck the water started pelting down on them.

Ichigo's eyes met Rukia's. He wasn't sure if she understood him, but he begged her to stay where she was. A fierce want to protect her hardened his features and made him hold on to his sword as if it were the only thing holding him to the earth. The sound of metal clashing and people yelling made Rukia's eyes grow and made Ichigo jump into action.

"Stay here Rukia," he said and narrowed his eyes at her. His brain was moving at a very rapid pace trying to find a way to keep her safe. He knew they would find her here, and women were never a good thing in the middle of a war. Hostages were taken and tortured… Even though Ichigo didn't think anyone would kill her, worst case scenario's flashed through his head.

She nodded. It was the best thing he could do at that moment.

"I'll be back," he said and nodded back to her, "I promise." She stared at him and blinked, then lifted her head in a slight acknowledgment. The orange haired man turned around to open the door and when he did, a very serious looking Suί-Fēng greeted him. He jumped out of the way as she stormed into the room.

"Come with me." She told Rukia and without batting an eyelash, Rukia followed her. She glanced back at Ichigo once more, and the look she gave him comforted him a bit. He knew she would be taken care of. Her brother might not show any emotion, but he was most definitely not careless.

Without another thought, he walked out the door and at a very brisk pace and started heading towards the front of the castle.

* * *

Rukia walked behind her brother's advisor and wondered whether she would ever see Kaien again. She knew that whatever happened, she would make sure that she would.

"Where are we going?" she asked Suί-Fēng.

"Somewhere safe," was the only reply.

The violet eyed lady sighed and didn't ask any other questions as she followed her deeper into the West wing of the castle. She had no idea where they were heading, but when she saw the open hole in the floor, she didn't have to ask. She knew that the castle had many secret passages and places Rukia had never seen before, so she immediately knew that this was one of them. An entire slab of rock had been moved out of the way and sat on the one side, right next to the hole. On it sat Renji. His eyebrows were knit together and his hands were folded in front of his knees on which his arms rested.

"Thank you." Suί-Fēng said and nodded to him as she climbed down the ladder into the dark. Rukia followed her hesitantly. She nodded to Renji and he smiled. She didn't know what to think of his smile and wondered if it was a sincere, happy smile or just one that was supposed to make her feel a bit better. Whichever it was, it worked.

"Please take care of him Renji?" She asked before she could stop herself. Renji nodded stiffly and Rukia smiled back at him. "And you'd better come back alive or I'll kill you myself." She added with a hint of playfulness in her voice. She knew she couldn't live with herself if she lost everyone. In a short amount of time, she had come to care about all of them. Renji nodded and Rukia looked at him one last time before descending into darkness. With a swift movement, Renji moved the slab of stone until it fell into place and covered the hole in the ground flawlessly. Rukia couldn't hear him as he covered the stone with a small rug and moved away.

She realized that sounds would not penetrate the solid slab of stone. Outsiders would not hear her but that also meant she could not hear if anyone was coming.

Rukia sighed and knew that there was nothing she could do about it.

As soon as her foot hit solid ground Rukia could see again. A few candles were lit and the walls were lined with flaming torches. Faces stared at her as she tried to make them out. Slowly, tensed conversation filled the room, picking up where they left off before Rukia joined them.

"Rukia!" A voice breathed and suddenly someone touched her hand right next to her. The raven haired Lady whipped around and looked into the big brown eyes of Momo Hinamori. Rukia smiled in a greeting.

...

Toshiro watched as men piled out of the woods, from behind corners and out of town, each carrying their own weapon. The white haired knight considered the situation for a brief moment. There were too many of them and the knights of both Lancaster and Camelot were vastly outnumbered. In his head, he tried to plan out the fight. If they timed it right, they would have a chance. He had faith in his King, but he wasn't too sure how this one would go.

A man pointed an arrow at Toshiro's head. Luckily, he saw it in time and ducked before charging towards his attacker. With his sword held at his side, he waited until the exact moment. When it came, he lifted the blade and cut a deep gash in his attacker's arm. It put the bow and arrow out of play, and if Toshiro guessed right, it would put his sword out of play as well.

"Bastard!" The man yelled as he pulled out his sword with his good hand. A small smile flickered across Toshiro's face as his slashed at the man again. It wasn't much of a fight. The gash in the man's arm bled quickly, making him weak and his sword movement was pathetic with his left hand. Toshiro knew he had guessed right as he delivered the final blow causing the man's death. Before he could start thinking about all the people he was going to have to kill, he moved on to his next opponent.

In the midst of it all, he saw a flash of orange next to him and knew he wasn't the only one defending their kingdom. It was all he needed to continue on.

* * *

She didn't know why she came, but she had to see him. She had to make sure he was all right. Her breath left her body in gasps as she thought about what she had gotten herself into. She knew she was going to regret it, but at the time, she could not do it. She didn't feel bad, only determined to make sure that HE was okay. She had to make sure…

* * *

Ichigo fought with everything he had. He couldn't think about anything else, for he knew that he would get distracted. The thought of getting killed and never seeing Rukia again drove him on. He wanted to protect everyone, especially her, and he knew that he would do anything to make sure that she was safe.

He wasn't really one for killing as many of his enemies as he could, but looking at it from multiple sides; he didn't really see any other choice in the matter. It was either kill them when he got the chance or leave them bleeding. It seemed all the more logical that he should kill them when he could.

Another stab came in his direction, but he deflected it and brought his sword down in an attack. And then another man, fighting for Aizen fell to the ground. For a moment, the chaos ceased, but only in Ichigo's head as he saw a flicker of black hair to his right. All his subconscious worrying led him to believe that anyone he cared about would get hurt and when he turned in the direction his instincts led him, he saw a small body lying on the ground, black hair spilling over a pale face. A man with a sword in each hand stood above the small body, sneering down at it. Ichigo didn't even think about what he was doing until his sword blocked the final blow to the body on the ground.

"This is not your fight, boy." The man said, sneering at Ichigo.

"It is now," he replied and moved to stand over the small man on the ground. The man with the shocking orange hair raised his sword and immediately took up a fighting stance. The man opposite Ichigo had long blond hair and a sneer on his face, and when he smiled, it sent silent shivers down your spine. Ichigo lifted his eyebrows, determined to beat the man.

"You think you're so great, helping your little friend?" He said and scoffed. Ichigo narrowed his eyes. "Well you're n-'' He was cut off as he glanced at Ichigo's sword. He took in the long blade and the hilt and the guard, and then his expression changed to disbelief.

"King?" The man mouthed. His eyes were wide as he stared at the weapon in Ichigo's hands. Reacting on his instincts, Ichigo nodded at him.

_What is he going to do?_ He couldn't help but wonder. His question was answered when determination shone in his enemy's eyes and he threw down the one sword to get a better grip on the other. Ichigo blocked his blow, but only just. Ichigo could feel a thin stream of blood trickle down his chest. His eyes narrowed at the blond man in front of him. In the blink of an eye Ichigo was on the offence, slashing at his opponent wherever he could. He made sure his attacks didn't become predictable and soon, he was able to land a hit on the blond man's shoulder. Red stained his long blond hair and anger flickered across his face.

"Bastard!" He cried and attacked. Ichigo blocked blow after blow. His opponent's actions were slowed down by his anger, and he left Ichigo gaps that were just big enough to get past and land a proper stab in his side. This only made the man angrier and seconds later, Kaien Shiba's best knight jabbed one last time, planting his sword into his enemy's heart.

Ichigo swallowed heavily as he watched the man with the blond hair fall to his knees, his eyes glazing over slightly. He stood there for another split second before turning back towards the knight he was now standing over. He put his sword down next to the small body and wiped the hair away so he could see his face. Yukata was pale and his eyes were closed. Ichigo's breath hitched as his head whipped up and his eyes ran through the crowd. He needed to find someone free who could help him…

"RENJI!" He called and the red head looked in his direction. Without having to call him again, Renji sprinted over as Ichigo turned the knight so he was lying on his back.

He quickly put his head onto his friend's chest and listened for the thud-thud of a heart. It was there, but barely. Without hesitation Ichigo put his arm under Yukata's neck and knees and picked him up. The man was small enough to carry easily and unnaturally light for someone who was limp and a dead weight* in his arms.

"The sword…" He said to Renji who then retrieved them before running after Ichigo.

"What happened?" Renji asked, but Ichigo knew that it was a rhetorical question. "Shit."

"Where do I take him?" Ichigo asked and Renji took the lead. They didn't get very far before another man attacked them. In his rage, Renji took care of him without even trying before carrying on.

"West wing," Renji said and led Ichigo in the direction of said wing. Ichigo didn't know why he was doing this. There were probably many people who were going to die today, but he had to make sure that Yukata survived. He had to make sure his friend was alive. He shook his head, trying to come to terms with the fact that many people he cared about would die in this war.

"Over here," Renji said and led Ichigo into a room just off the hall. The orange haired man lay his unconscious friend down on the bed and looked for the wound. It wasn't hard to miss. Red blossomed over their friends chest and without thinking, Ichigo ripped Yukata's shirt so he could get to the wound. His sister told him how to stop the bleeding if it was severe, so with only the memory in his head, Ichigo didn't stop when he saw that Yukata's chest was already wrapped in bandages.

"Ichigo…" Renji said and handed him a dagger. The orange haired man didn't have time to think about why his friend carried a dagger and a sword, but at the time it seemed like a very good plan for the future.

Ichigo cut the cloth and ripped the bandages away to find a very deep gash just below his friend's heart. Ichigo pulled the two pieces of skin together to stop the flow of blood a little bit, though most of it had already stopped. It took a few seconds for it to stop completely and when Ichigo could see past his worry, he looked up to see if Yukata was moving. All of a sudden a very uneasy feeling came over the orange haired man, and when he looked down at Yukata's chest again he saw that Yukata's chest was in fact not a man's chest, but two fairly small but unmistakeable breasts.

Heat ran up Ichigo's arms, chest, neck and face as he looked down at the _girl_ lying on the bed. Ichigo's fingers turned numb as he realized his hands were _on _those much unexpected breasts.

"Ga! Fuck!" Was his first response as he jumped back and closed his eyes so he wouldn't have to look at the girl on the bed.

"What?" Renji asked and Ichigo opened his eyes to look at him. Renji looked at Ichigo, then at the bed and suddenly his face turned tomato red too. Quickly, he turned his face away, bringing his hands up to shield his eyes as he too, uttered a few colourful words.

"What the hell is happening to this world?" Renji cried, and to Ichigo it sounded as if he was in horrible pain. All of a sudden, the whole situation made the orange haired man want to laugh. For the duration of the trip to Lancaster, Ichigo was under the impression that Yukata Nishio was a man and it never crossed his mind that he might be a girl. He looked small for a knight, but he still stood a great deal taller than Toshiro. Ichigo replayed every moment he spent with Yukata in his mind and he realized that there had almost never been a single moment where it seemed like she could be a girl.

He recalled that time when she was sick here in Lancaster and thought about the fact that she wouldn't let anyone but Orihime into the room. It should have been a giveaway, had he looked for something along the lines of Yukata _being a girl._

Without warning, in the middle of the war, standing in this little room with his friend and this girl whom he thought was a boy, Ichigo doubled over in laughter. Renji still had his hands over his eyes, but removed them and shot his friend a deadly look. That only made the substitute king laugh more.

"What the hell is so funny?" Renji demanded. His cheeks hadn't returned to their normal shade yet, and he seemed very embarrassed. Gasping, Ichigo tried to stand up straight.

"Nothing!" He said, and then snorted again. Renji's face added to his amusement, but he held it in. The red head rolled his eyes and pursed his lips, doing everything in his power to not look at the girl on the bed.

Coming to a certain realization, Ichigo stopped laughing and forced himself to look at her. She still had an open wound in her chest. Although he had managed to stop the bleeding, Ichigo noted that he would have to get her to a healer immediately.

"We have to take her to Orihime," he told his friend and walked over to the bed. Working slowly, making sure to focus on the wound, he removed the bandages that now lay next to her and tied some of the cut strands together so he could rewrap the bandages.

"Lift her for me?" He asked Renji, but quickly grasped that the red head was still standing with his back to them. From his point of view Renji looked like a frightened cat. His hair, quite literally, stood on end.

"For fuck sakes Renji, MAN UP!" Ichigo said and threw a piece of rumpled up bandage at him. It hit him on the back of his head and Ichigo scoffed as he turned back to the person lying in front of him. Being as gentle as possible he tried not to jostle her too much as he removed her shirt and started struggling with the bandages.

"Here," Renji said next to him and he held her up so Ichigo could wrap the cloths securely. They worked as quickly as they could, and as soon as they were done tying the pieces together and wrapping further, Ichigo took her shirt and put it on backwards to cover the bandages up.

"We have to get her to Orihime or something." Ichigo said, trying to keep his voice calm. Renji nodded and immediately moved in to pick her up. He didn't dare drape her over his shoulder because he knew that that would make it even worse.

"You're going to have to watch my back," he said and picked her up with ease. Ichigo nodded, and without another sound, he gathered his sword and they left the room.

Renji led the way and they quickly reached the hall that led to the west wing. Two men were draped over each other in the arch but Renji stepped over them not looking down. Ichigo followed. Neither of them could bear to look and see whether the two dead men were theirs nor not, so they moved on, listening to the hollow sound of their footsteps in the lonely corridor.

Ichigo wasn't sure where they were headed but he kept his eyes on Renji and his ears behind him. Once every few steps he checked behind him, but so far, no one had made a move or snuck up on them. He was getting confident that they would make it there without another fight, but before his hand on his sword could relax enough to hang by his side, he heard another pair of footsteps behind them.

"Renji, stop," Ichigo said and turned around. He waited for the person behind them to come out of the dim light, and when he did, Ichigo drew his sword.

A small black haired boy ran towards them. Ichigo had to blink when he saw the blue Camelot crest on his waistcoat, since the boy looked way too young and much too fragile to be where he was.

"Sorry!" He called as he looked down, avoiding the orange haired man's eyes. He ran past him, and turned left into one of the other hallways. Renji immediately turned around and nodded to Ichigo as he continued.

The boy had looked so familiar… But Ichigo couldn't put his finger on where he had seen him before. He couldn't see the boy's face properly, but he could confidently say that he knew him. Shaking his head, he pushed the boy to the back of his mind and ran after Renji.

...

Toshiro was running out of steam. He knew he was going to have to drink some water sooner or later or his body would slow down.

"You think you're so smart!" The man he was fighting said. Toshiro stood his ground and held his sword up in front of him. The man was huge, had dark skin and black hair on the sides and back of his head. On top, he was bald.

Toshiro's patience was wearing thin with the man in front of him. He was arrogant and laughed at Toshiro's hair and height.

"Obviously you do not know much yourself." He replied, but didn't move a muscle. He was taunting him, waiting and hoping for the right moment to make the right, calculated move.

"I can kill you in less than ten seconds. Want to bet? Oh, right! You will be dead!" The man said and threw his head back, laughing in glee. Toshiro lifted a single white eyebrow in a silent challenge.

The man struck and aimed on the exact spot Toshiro was anticipating. He sidestepped him and used all the strength he had to jump as high as he could. With a single stab to the neck, his opponent spluttered and dropped down to his knees.

"You shouldn't be so arrogant." The knight commented when he sheathed his sword and turned around to walk away. The man did not say anything as he dropped to the ground, dead. As soon as Toshiro heard the thud, he started sprinting towards the castle. In the fight he had moved closer to the forest, but now he ran back as fast as he could. It felt like the Fates** were going to cut his life in half, rendering him dead on the ground in front of the castle. He didn't need to sleep or even to sit down, but he needed to drink some water.

He felt drained as his feet carried him to the kitchen. He didn't expect anyone there, and wasn't surprised to find it empty. He went for the jug of water on the table, from which he poured a cup and gulped the water down. As soon as the liquid touched his throat, he felt better but kept drinking until it felt like he was going to burst.

Relief coursed through his veins and as soon as he started walking towards the door again, he heard something shift in the pantry. At first he thought it was a mouse, but when he thought about it, it sounded much bigger than that. He wanted to shake it off and go back to what he had been doing a few minutes ago. He wanted to go out and fight.

Another sound made him walk to the pantry and open the wooden door so he could peek inside. At first he couldn't see his own hand in front of his face, but as he opened the door further the light seeped into the little place and made the objects and the person in the pantry much clearer.

Shock ran through Toshiro's body as he looked at the person casually sitting on the floor.

"Karin?" He breathed and dropped down next to her. Karin Kurosaki's eyes grew as she finally recognized the person kneeling next to her.

"Toshiro!" She gasped and froze. He could see that she wasn't sure of what to do, so he helped her. He lifted her arms and wrapped his around her waist. He was mad at her for putting herself in danger.

"What in the name of God were you thinking?" He softly yelled at her while clutching her close. He shifted his weight so he was sitting next to her, but he never let go.

"Idiot," She snapped at him. It sounded harsh, but he could hear the smile in her voice.

Toshiro pulled away from her and looked at her. She was smiling, and her smile made the corners of his mouth twitch upward into a small, Hitsugaya smile.

"I don't want to repeat myself, Karin. What are you doing here? What were you thinking?" He was serious now and she could tell that he was angry. She didn't try to argue with him.

"I came to see if you are all right. When I saw you out there earlier I knew it was stupid to worry about it. Now get your sorry ass back out there! Or should I go in your place?" She asked and folded her arms over her chest. One of her delicate eyebrows was lifted as she stared at him playfully. Toshiro couldn't help himself as he leaned closer and planted a very soft, cool kiss on her lips. She put her hand on the side of his face as they closed their eyes in an attempt to forget about where they were and what their situation was.

"Fine." He said when he pulled away a few seconds later. She put her hand on his head and ruffled his hair. "Silly little girl!" He said, calling her on her usual we-are-play-fighting nickname as he did the same to her, causing her hair to fall out of its leather band. She looked pretty with her hair loose, but she never wore it so. She said it annoyed her when it was loose, but Toshiro secretly loved seeing her without her hair tied up.

"What are you going to do now?" He asked her as he stood up. He noticed that she was wearing knight's clothing and some armour and that she had the Camelot crest on the waistcoat over the armour.

"I'm going to stay here and stay clean." She said with a bored expression. It still stunned Toshiro that she could change her facial expressions so rapidly. "Blood is messy." She said and shook her head gravely. He couldn't tell if she was joking, but he smiled nonetheless.

"Don't move from that spot Karin." He told her, serious again. She nodded as he walked out and turned around to look at her again.

"Yes, Toshiro. I'm staying right here. Stop your bitching." She said and rolled her eyes. Toshiro lifted an eyebrow and nodded.

"You better," he said before closing the door behind him and walking back towards the front of the castle where there would no doubt be many more of Aizen's army, ready to kill anyone who stands in their way.

...

Ichigo wouldn't have guessed that there was a secret passage under the castle, but when Renji told him where to get a hold of the rock, he believed it.

"Just move the rug." He grunted as he tried to move it with his foot. Ichigo knelt down and slapped Renji's foot away so he could move the rug. At first he didn't see the movable slab, but as soon as he took a closer look, he could see that the slab had a feint outline, a slit just big enough to slip your fingers under.

As soon as he had a good hold in the piece of rock, Ichigo braced himself and lifted the thing away. It wasn't as heavy as it looked… It was much, much heavier. He struggled with it a bit, but he was able to lift it and move it out of the way so they could have access to the ladder. It was wooden and very damn solid from what Ichigo could gather.

"How are we going to do this?" Ichigo asked as he looked down into darkness. It looked dark in the gloomy light in the castle. They thought for a moment, but Renji quickly cut in with a solution.

"Just start going down. It's far, but not that far… And I'll hand her to you," he said and Ichigo nodded. He was tempted to just throw her over his shoulder this time, but knew that wouldn't be a good idea for her wound.

Slowly he descended the ladder, the bottom becoming more visible. When he was half way down he noticed he was still close enough for Renji to pass him the girl with ease.

"All right, hand her to me," he said and held out his arms.

"Your highness?" Fragmented… Someone called from the bottom. They were making sure he was who he said.

"Yes, it's me and Renji," he replied and kept his eyes on the girl Renji was sliding into his arms.

"Have you got her?" Renji asked. Ichigo replied that he did have her and he stepped to the next step on the ladder very carefully. It was one of the hardest things he had ever done, climbing down that ladder. He needed to keep one hand on the ladder and yet, he needed to hold his arm up to keep from dropping the girl in his arms. Three more steps down and Ichigo's foot hit the floor. As soon as it did, it felt as if he stepped into someone else's skin, because suddenly all the ladies down there were fluttering about, panicking.

"Your highness, are you all right?" Someone asked.

"What is going on?" Another girl asked.

"Who is it?"

"What happened?"

"Kaien!" A voice stood out among all the others. Partly because he was waiting to hear her voice and partly because she was the only one who called him by his first name. She was the only one he didn't want calling him that.

"Rukia," he said firmly and moved through the flutter of females to where he could now see she was standing. "Where is Orihime?" He asked as soon as he was close enough.

"Here." A soft voice spoke from the middle of the group.

"Please can you tend to her?" He asked and moved to where he could see a stone bench had been built into the wall. He put her down on the bench and turned to Rukia.

She didn't look any different than she did a few hours ago, but to Ichigo it felt like they had both aged ten years.

"Listen," He started and pulled her to the side so he could speak to her without everyone hearing. "I… Yukata is a girl." He decided to say instead of what he was so ready to admit a few seconds ago. At first, shock shone in Rukia's eyes, and then the shock turned to amusement.

"What?" She said with disbelief. She let out small giggles which she tried to hide but couldn't. Ichigo nodded and clenched his hand at his side.

After a few seconds Rukia was able to compose herself and as she stood up straight, Ichigo wanted to slap himself she was so beautiful.

"I have to go." He said before he could start eating himself up from the inside again.

"Idiot." Rukia said and gave him a light slap on the arm. It didn't hurt, but he got the message.

"What was that for, Midget?" He asked and brought his hand up in mock pain.

"For being an imbecile." She replied and rolled her eyes at him. He smiled at her, but not enough for her to see it.

"Yes, yes." He said and started walking back to the ladder. Renji didn't come down, knowing that they would have to move as fast as they could.

"Come back, you orange baboon…" She told him and watched him climb back up the ladder. He heard her and smiled a genuine smile, but when he got to the top, his face dropped. He knew that even if he did come back, it wouldn't be the same. He couldn't have her, and he realized that he didn't want anything else.

"Let's go." He told Renji as soon as he had replaced the slab of rock and the rug. And the two of them started jogging back towards the fight.

* * *

**So guys! That's it for this chapter! :P I hope it was worth the wait!**

**Author's notes:**

***Okay technically** **he wasn't a 'dead' weight, but if you were confused, he is not dead. Duh. You can see that when you continue reading the chapter. **

****The Three Fates are Myths in the Greek Mythology. They are three old women who share one eye. The make prophecies as far as I know, plus, they hold everyone's 'life force' or 'thread of life'. When they cut that piece of thread, you die. **

**Then I would like to say thank you to everyone who left me a review! I got just under 20 I think! You guys are so amazing, I want to cry! Thanks to: **_**anonymous**_**, **_**darklover(who is just wonderful), FacingLoveEmbracingMelody,Tenshi-no-Megami, Abarai Starsha(Who is now my beta and left the one hundredth review! I'm still writing that one shot! Just remind me!), xTwistedCupidx, XLightningX, BlueAlexis, A serendipity, H00rWithAPen, nikorudied, soulcandy, Glorious Prank, IchiRuki2.0, MurderedByAMarionette, 372259, oshii-enma, KCarterAmbrosia11, and QueenOfBloodlust. **_**Thank you so much for reviewing! Each time someone reviews, my day is made and I want to go write! Keep that in mind! ;)**

**Haha okay, so I hope you enjoyed this. I'm sorry for an OOC Karin, but I struggle with her. Toshiro was the worse there. I hope I did it okay… Please let me know! There is always room for improvement! **

**Thank you guys! NOW! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE drop me a review! I love to hear from you! Come on… You know you want to! Button is right down there and I've got Kenpachi on hold to come and stare at you evilly (again) if you don't review! Haha! Thank you! **


	14. All I have left is you

**Guess what? I am back! **

**I apologize from the bottom of my heart for disappearing off the face of the earth, and I will reveal all and let you all in on why it took so long… After you've read the chapter! I won't keep you up here for very long! Once again, I am so sorry! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. **

**Beta Reader: Abarai Starsha (And once again, thank you very much! She is truly wonderful! )**

**I'll be the one, spin me around  
Lifting you up, and holding me down  
Inside a storm is raging, it blows up in your eyes  
Inside a heart is breaking, the river's running dry**

**I could run, I could hide**  
**When I'm crashing down who's the one who saves me?**  
**Oh, intertwined, wrap around me now with the thorns**

**And we're holding on when**  
**There's nothing left to hold on to**  
**So don't tell me when it's gone**  
**Cause' all I have left is you…**

**~The Offspring, All I have left is you**

* * *

**Chapter 14 ~ All I have left is you**

Ichigo ran alongside his friend. Since his head was still with Rukia, he didn't even think of where they were heading.

The silence between the two friends was on the verge of becoming uncomfortable. The past half hour haunted them and Ichigo knew that Renji was still shocked about Yukata… He didn't blame him. It was the most unexpected thing that had happened in Lancaster so far.

"Ready?" Renji asked as they turned the corner and heard metal scraping against metal. Ichigo put his hand on his sword and nodded.

The fight had moved further into the castle and there were a few men sprinkled in the hallway paired up and fighting. The orange haired knight couldn't see any of his close friends, but a few Camelot knights were badly injured. Without thinking, he jumped in to help where he could. Renji saw his plan and helped those who were injured the worst. Slowly but surely, they started to clear the hallway. Two knights were too injured to continue fighting, and Renji helped them around the corner. He didn't know if there was a team somewhere waiting to take care of the injured. He wanted to head out to look for healers or take them to someone who could help them, but there was no time. He wasted precious moments as he considered his options.

Making up his mind, Renji yelled to Ichigo that he would be right back and ran outside. He knew some of the knights who were there to fight were healers, but he wasn't going to waste time figuring out who those were. It didn't matter if he found someone who could help with the wounds; he just wanted to find someone who could help him get the injured knights out of the way. Having been in battle so many times before, Renji knew he couldn't save everyone. He knew that Ichigo knew this too, but he still owed it to all these knights to try.

As soon as he stepped outside the castle though, his whole being seemed to completely turn around. There were dead bodies littering the stairs, the grass, everywhere, and Renji had to put his hand in front of his mouth to keep himself from throwing up. He didn't want to look at the faces of the deceased, knowing that if he did, the faces he knew would haunt his thoughts until the end of time. Turning his head so his ear could seek out any unnatural sounds, Renji wondered what would happen to him. He knew he was supposed to care about the rest of the people more, and he was supposed to be worried about his king the most, but he couldn't help his mind from thinking these things. Cursing and not looking down, he made his way towards the gardens. He didn't see anybody still standing, and immediately turned around to start heading back. He didn't anticipate the sword coming at his face. Luckily, he ducked and the blade only cut off a chunk of his red hair.

* * *

Ichigo had gotten rid of all the men who were after him long before Renji came back. He felt restless and quite useless, sitting there waiting for his friend to return.

"What the hell took you so long?" He asked when he saw the redhead coming around the corner.

"Some bastard tried to give me a haircut," Renji growled and sheathed his sword. Ichigo snickered and shook his head. He was glad that Renji was alright, but he knew that if there was anyone fully capable of giving someone a whipping with a sword, it was Renji.

"Come on," Ichigo said and started walking to the middle of the castle. They could vaguely hear metal clashing against metal and many angry cries, and knew that if they headed in that direction, they would find something.

Sure enough, they encountered many fallen. The dead almost made a trail, leading the way to a new part of battle. The doors to the great hall stood gaping, almost screaming for the two knights to go inside. The internal décor was bloody with the dead and injured. People were fighting, fists were thrown around and victors were holding up their swords before running off to the next person fighting for the opposing side. It was like each side had a goal; kill as many knights from the other side as you possibly can.

Ichigo unsheathed his sword slowly as his eyes swept the room. He was looking for something to do, someone to confront, but somehow his anger levels had turned down, and his sorrow had turned up in its place. He was sad, knowing many of these knights were never going to return again… Most of them were never going to return to their kingdom, or to their families… Given, not many knights had wives or children for fear of this exact thing getting in the way. Death.

A flash of midnight hair caught Ichigo's attention and the orange haired knight turned towards it. Lazy emerald green eyes were staring at him as he assessed the situation. The man who ran around delivering Aizen's messages, and who was probably a very high ranking officer, stood against the wall casually. The man's sword was in his hand, but he was holding it in such a relaxed manner that it made Ichigo angry. It was almost as if he didn't care that Aizen's men, his men, were dead. Before he could think clearly, he approached him. A single black eyebrow lifted in recognition, but other than that, the man didn't move.

Ichigo's blood boiled.

"So instead of just standing there, be a man and fight," the substitute king said, holding out his sword in an offensive gesture.

"I only fight those who are worthy of dying by my hand," The man replied casually and didn't even blink at Ichigo's sword in his face.

"Oh? And who is worthy then?" He asked and sneered.

"The king of Camelot," he said and shrugged. Ichigo's nostrils flared as he tried to hold back the string of swearwords he had lined up for this pathetic being.

"You're looking at him." Ichigo said and dropped down a bit. The other man rolled his emerald eyes, but his expression stayed the same.

"Perhaps if you thought a little less of yourself, I would consider killing you. You are nothing but a worthless knight, pretending to be something you will never be good enough to be." His voice was monotonous, and not once did it change in volume or rhythm. Ichigo could feel the rage in him light up even brighter as he narrowed his eyes dangerously.

"Well, if you're not going to fight me, killing you will be easy," He said and swung his sword down towards the man, but was blocked easily by his opponent's sword. Both parties were as alert as they could be and with a sigh, the man with the green eyes took a swing at Ichigo, missing his cheek by millimetres.

* * *

The uneasy feeling settled into Rukia once again. The young knight, whom Rukia now realized was a girl had come around a few minutes ago and Orihime was tending to her wound. The raven haired lady bit her nail as she paced the length of the underground room. Something was amiss with Kaien, and her heart was burning with the intense desire to go and make sure that he was fine.

"Rukia," she heard Yukata's voice say from behind her. She spun around to face the girl on the bed, still a bit shocked about her sudden gender reveal. "Something is wrong."

In her eyes, Rukia saw dread and unease, and all the Lady of Lancaster could do was nod. After a few more stilts of silence, Rukia spoke again.

"What can I do?" She asked, her voice shaking. Determination replaced the dread in Yukata's eyes as she made Orihime help her undress. It was quite a difficult task seeing as the tiniest jolt could reopen the wound in her chest. While doing so, she threw instructions to the petit young lady.

"First of all, it's a pleasure to finally meet you as I really am. My name is Tatsuki Arisawa." Rukia nodded to her, a faint smile playing on her lips.

Rukia admired Tatsuki very much. She admired her willpower as well as her courage; wondering what she would have done, and if she would have been able to hide her gender from everyone for so long.

"Now listen. I have a plan, but you have to do everything I say," Tatsuki explained. Rukia nodded. "Take off your dress and put my breeches and shirt on." Momentarily, Rukia hesitated, but reached behind her to undo the ribbon on her dress. Momo, who was standing against the wall, rushed over and helped her undress. They swapped clothes and Rukia put the breeches on. At first she couldn't figure out how they worked, but she quickly saw how to tie them up and did so as fast as her delicate fingers could manage. A little too late, Rukia realized that Tatsuki's shirt was stained red and ripped right down the middle.

A colourful swearword left her mouth as she stood there, wondering what to do. Momo was a step ahead of her though and quickly raised her voice to the maids and servants of the castle.

"Ladies, is there any one among you wearing a cotton shirt, or a knitted under-jacket? Either one will do," she said and looked around at the pale faces. A young maid with silver hair raised her hand and started pulling her dress over her head. Underneath, she was wearing a man's cotton shirt which was very large in comparison to her elegant frame. Momo nodded a thank you to the maid as she was handed the shirt. Rukia watched as the girl threw her dress over her head again. She wondered where the silver haired maid had found the shirt, but she didn't dwell on things that could waste time.

Before Rukia could throw the shirt over her head, Orihime's voice stopped her.

"My lady, wait," she said and seemingly glided across the floor with a long piece of cloth in her hand. Rukia stood and waited, wondering what she was going to do. "Please raise your arms."

The Ice Princess did as she was told and Orihime quickly wrapped her chest with the cloth. When she lowered her arms again, she felt very secure and a little shielded; more than she did in a dress. Rukia pulled the shirt on and tucked it into the breeches. The pants were comfortable, but to Rukia it felt very strange having on something so tight. Nevertheless, she smiled and listened as Tatsuki explained the rest of her plan.

* * *

When the women finally managed to move the slab of solid rock above them, Rukia slipped out, dragging Tatsuki's sword with her. Surprisingly, the sword was much lighter than Rukia remembered Toshiro's being, and it was also much easier to handle. Above ground, Rukia took one look at the rock and left it. She knew she would not be able to move it by herself.

The raven haired lady had never been so alert in her entire life. She padded down the hall in her petit shoes, managing not to make a sound at all. Rukia had to carry the sword in her hand for lack of a sheath, and it was harder in practice than she had thought. She had to be careful not to run the thing into walls or to drag it on the floor, but soon enough she got used to the feel of the thing in her hand. As soon as she noticed that she was feeling better about the sword. Then a few other things occurred to her. The first of which was that she was getting strange stinging pains in her chest from time to time. The pains were random, and she had never felt them before, but something about the uneasy way they were coming and going, put the raven haired lady even more on edge.

The next thing that hit Rukia full force between the eyes was the amount of damage the battle did. The closer she got to the front of the castle, the more bloodshed, the more dead bodies and the colder it got. Something was very off and Rukia tried to focus on the strange feeling she got, instead of how many dead people she had to avoid that were lying in her path.

The stinging feeling was still there, and the farther she moved, the more intense it got. Something was very wrong.

Xxxxxx

Ichigo wiped the blood off his chin as he glared at the man with the emerald eyes. The orange haired knight had to admit, the man could fight. Ichigo had nicks and cuts all over his arms and face, and a few scratches on his legs, but so far he had managed to dodge most of the man's lethal attacks. The dark haired man wasn't unscathed either, and bore a rather deep cut across his forehead. Blood had seeped across his face in streaks, and somehow that made him look even more passive.

Silence rang between the two men, the only sounds in the area that of their swords clashing against each other. Ichigo was getting tired, he knew, but his veins were still pumped with adrenalin, spurring him on.

"We can do this all day," Ichigo said mockingly as he swung his sword at the man again. All he got in return was a very good block and another clash of their swords. The knight didn't know what was wrong, but a few moments ago, an uneasy feeling had settled in his stomach. Since then he had been very aware of what his opponent was doing.

A few more agonizing moments passed as swords clanged and skin was cut and bruised, when suddenly, a thought befell on Ichigo. Where were the rest of the knights? He couldn't look around him for fear of losing his head, but he tried to glance around. He didn't see anything that made him hesitate or worry, aside from all the dead bodies. It was actually quite ironic. Two seconds later, Ichigo glanced to the other side for a bit too long, giving the man with the black hair a big enough gap to literally throw his sword at Ichigo's throat.

Milliseconds passed, but it was enough for Ichigo to realize what was coming. He swore at himself, knowing that he had slipped up and that he was about to die. In that small period of time, Ichigo accepted, and made peace with the fact that his life had come to an end. It was an almost funny thought… He was in the peak of his life, and he had but lived a mere 21 years. He had no regrets, though he would have liked to see his family again. A ghost of a smile flickered across Ichigo's face as he saw the sword come at him, knowing he would not be fast enough. He closed his brown eyes as time seemed to speed up again. The cool metal of the man's sword burned against his throat and Ichigo really smiled this time as he said good-bye to everything around him, and most of all, he said good-bye to Rukia in his head, offering her an apology as well…

He could feel himself falling… Falling… Accept, he was standing still, and there was no heat running down his throat, indicating spilt blood… Ichigo opened his eyes, and for the first time, saw expression on the black haired man's face. Surprise or shock registered on his features. Ichigo blinked. It seemed as if the man was frozen, mid stab. He daren't move a muscle, for the man's sword was still on his neck. Suddenly, Ichigo saw why the man was frozen. A lean, very light sword, it seemed, stuck out of his chest. Someone had stabbed him from behind. Pulling the sword out made a sharp, gross sound and the man stayed suspended there for another second before falling to the ground, dead.

There, dressed as a boy, stood Rukia. Her sword was bright red with blood. She was breathing heavily and her eyes were big. Ichigo was about to yell at the person who had come to his rescue, because after all, a man's honour was at stake. No one ever interrupted a fight. Ichigo snorted at his sudden idiocy. Hadn't he finished off Yukata's fight earlier? Where was the honour in that? Ichigo's head was spinning as he looked into Rukia's eyes.

Fear enveloped him as he stood there, aghast. If something were to happen to her… He couldn't even think of what would happen. But above the fear there was something else. Pride puffed up in his chest and love filled his heart. He was so proud of her for being fearless, and his mouth formed a smile.

"Rukia…" He breathed and walked up to her, almost pulling her into his arms. She smiled up at him and lifted a delicate eyebrow. He knew he had love written all over his face and he forced himself to change it, swapping it, instead for a much sterner look.

"What are you doing here?" He asked her, taking her by the shoulders. Rukia blinked at him as her eyebrows furrowed. The look on her face would have been almost comical had it not been so scary.

"You idiot!" She cried and slapped him across the face. "I save your life, and this is how you repay me?" She crossed her arms over her chest and rolled her eyes. "I should have just let you die."

Ichigo wanted to laugh. Relief rang through him, and all he wanted to do was tell Rukia how amazing she was. He didn't get very far, because suddenly, voices sounded through the corridor. Rukia's head whipped in the direction of where the sound was coming from, and Ichigo turned his head slightly, to hear what the voices were saying.

"Maybe he's in here," the first voice said.

"Why would Ulquiorra be with all the dead bodies? He'll be making more, won't he?" the second voice said. Ichigo racked his brains, there was no one called Ulquiorra that he had ever heard of…

As quick as a flash, Ichigo pulled Rukia to the ground.

"Don't move, don't blink, don't make a sound, don't breathe," Ichigo hissed to her as she let out a gasp. Rukia wasn't stupid, she knew that she had to play dead. When the men entered the room Ichigo saw Rukia holding her breath. Inhaling, the knight did the same. They could not risk being detected and both of them knew it.

No one paid attention to Ichigo and instead the two men started turning over all the dead bodies of men with black hair. The orange haired knight felt ice running through him. If they found Rukia, if they found her and realized she was a girl, and even worse that she wasn't dead, Ichigo was certain that he would never see her again. If Aizen could take her without a fight, Ichigo was sure that he would. At that moment he came to the conclusion that she would never be taken without a fight.

"Have you found him?" The second man asked this time.

"No," the first replied, after which the second man snorted.

"I told you, he will not be here," he said, and turned another body over.

Ichigo's eyes were closed, but he could feel the two men coming closer. Suddenly, his entire being focussed on the small body lying next to him. His muscles tensed and he prepared to jump up and surprise them when they turned her over. Daring to open his one eye, Ichigo looked to where the two men were kneeling. They both had their backs to him, and as quickly as he could, he reached for Rukia's hand with his. Her eyes shot open and she stared at him wide eyed. He mouthed to her to breathe quickly, as he kept his eyes on the two men. Ichigo could see Rukia's small chest rising and falling rapidly, like a butterfly, fluttering its wings. She looked from Ichigo to the men, making sure they weren't going to turn around anytime soon.

* * *

Her heart was racing. Not only was she pretending to be dead, but she had also just killed a man. She almost couldn't believe it herself, but she didn't ponder over this and instead focussed on the two men in the room. When the one started to turn, she held her breath and closed her eyes. She kept quiet and waited. She didn't know what was happening, but she knew it would be bad if they were caught.

"Well would you look at that?" One of the men said. Next to her, Rukia could feel them shuffling around. She had never prayed so hard for something in her entire life. She hoped that they weren't looking at her, but she didn't dare open her eyes to look. Her lungs were burning, but she willed away her need for air as long as she could.

"He's dead," the other man said, and shoved something hard onto the floor. Rukia opened her eyes slightly and tried to see who they were talking about. Where she was lying, she had the perfect view of who the man was talking about and who he had thrown onto the floor.

"Aizen's not going to be very happy about this," the first man said as he looked at the man whom Rukia had just skewered.

By then the Ice Princess couldn't hold her breath any longer, as her head was starting to spin. Slowly, she released and exhaled, her lungs emptying out. She didn't breathe as quickly as she did the previous time, but she couldn't get enough air into her body quick enough. Kaien clenched her hand and Rukia's eyes shut quickly.

It wasn't long before the men left, taking only the man named Ulquiorra's sword with them.

When Kaien was sure they were gone, he got up and held a hand out for her. Rukia gratefully took it and dusted herself off as much as she could.

"At least we know his name now…" Kaien said, more to himself than to Rukia. She was still alert, but allowed herself to relax slightly in the King's presence.

"Now, will you tell me why you are here, Rukia?" He asked her, and in answer, she glared at him.

"I told you," she said, "I saved your ass."

Kaien rolled his eyes and started heading down the passage.

"Come on," Kaien called to her in a whisper and Rukia could do nothing else but follow him. A few turns and hallways farther, Rukia sighed and pulled Kaien to a stop. She had the feeling that he had no idea where he was going, but the string of dead bodies in the castle could have lead anywhere.

"Where are we going?" She asked him and crossed her arms over her chest. Rukia wondered what was going on with her, but she knew there was something different. The stinging feeling she had gotten on and off a while ago proved that there was something wrong with her. It was strange. It was almost as if it had something to do with the King, and him being safe… She couldn't put her finger on it, but when he was very close to death, that stinging increased tenfold… But she couldn't sit and wonder why these things were happening when she should be doing something about the circumstances.

"I'm taking you back," He said simply and started walking again. Rukia narrowed her eyes at him. In a way, she wanted to laugh at him, because he was leading her in the wrong direction, but instead, she sighed again.

"I'm not going back down there. I'll only go if you go," She said stubbornly and shrugged. Kaien shook his head.

"I need you to be safe, Rukia," he said and walked back to where she was standing. Anger flared in the petit lady's heart.

"Why?" She asked and glared at him. "Do you not think I am capable enough to stand and help? To fight for my people?"

* * *

Resolve shone in Rukia's eyes as she chastised him. Ichigo was surprised at her vigour and something inside him hated himself for wanting to keep her safe. On the other hand, she was a lady and she was the most important part in this war, apparently.

The knight realised something then… In order to keep her safe and away from the fight he was either going to have to go underground with her, or he was going to have to tie her up to make sure she doesn't go anywhere. Ichigo didn't really take a fancy to the last option, although it did make him feel uncomfortable in his gentleman's area…

Suddenly, an interesting idea came to him.

"Rukia," he said, looking into her eyes. "I have to go and find someone. Please, will you stay out of trouble until I come back? Then I will go with you. Will that be enough?" He sincerely hoped she would say yes…

"Who are you going to find?" She asked after a few seconds.

"I am going to find my best knight," he replied and turned away from her. She didn't stop him as he walked away, and when he looked back, over his shoulder, she was gone. He smiled to himself. He knew she couldn't have gotten very far, but he also knew that she would try her best to keep herself safe.

Ichigo rushed through the passage, following his instincts until he reached the main entrance. He knew his King would still be somewhere in the forest, since he had not yet received word that the last of the Camelot reinforcements have been called to battle. Urahara was supposed to be in charge of that, but Ichigo didn't know how well the advisor was doing or where he was, but if his King trusted him, Ichigo saw no choice in the matter and would do the same. He also knew that the best knights of Camelot would only be called if necessary. Ichigo was sure that it hadn't come to that yet.

As soon as he was out of the castle, he sprinted into the thick growth of trees just a few meters from the entrance. He didn't have to go very far before a man with a blue cape and bow and arrow caught his attention.

The man's voice was strong and he recognized it as one of Kaien's men.

"Halt. Who goes there?"

"Turn away your arrow, sir. It is Kurosaki. Where is Kaien?" Ichigo walked up to the man whilst speaking, and when he reached him and the knight had a clear view of Ichigo's orange hair, he immediately lowered his arrow. The other knight simply nodded his head, indicating that Ichigo should follow him.

With no sound but the soft earth beneath their feet, they made their way deeper into the forest. The air was cooler here and the trees were closer together, but it was still beautiful.

"Your Grace?" The knight called as he came to a standstill in a small clearing. Ichigo could almost feel the forest breathing around him. He felt very aware and very alive, and at that moment, he was grateful for it all.

"I am here," Kaien's voice ran through the clearing as he stepped out from behind a tree. When he saw Ichigo, he paled. The king knew him well, but Ichigo wasn't sure if what he was going to say was that clearly written on his face.

"Kaien," Ichigo nodded and stepped forward. "The Princess is refusing to co-operate. She wants to fight, but if she were not here, the reason for this fight would also be removed."

The black haired man regarded him and thought about what Ichigo was saying. After a few moments, Kaien nodded. Once and firmly, stating that he understood what his best knight was trying to say to him.

"Do what you have to do Ichigo. I trust you," The king turned around and disappeared. He returned seconds later with a leather sachet. He tossed it to Ichigo, and without looking what was in it, Ichigo nodded and turned. He knew that whatever the king had given him would come of use sooner or later. He tied the little bag to his belt with the string it was fastened with and walked back the way he came. The knight did not follow him.

A few minutes later, he was standing on the edge of the forest, looking to see if there was anyone around. He didn't see anything, so he unsheathed his sword and walked straight to the doors of the castle. He checked behind him quickly before swiftly moving into the castle and back to the passage where he knew Rukia would be hiding.

* * *

The Ice Princess did not know how long Kaien had been gone, but it felt like minutes. She was hiding behind a painting in the hall. Her brother was very insistent on having a few 'safe houses' or at least hiding places around the castle. They were everywhere; behind paintings, behind bookcases and under statues.

Rukia had leaned against the back of the painting gently, listening for any sounds. When she finally heard Kaien calling her name, she waited and listened again. She had to make sure it was him.

"Rukia! Oh, come on Midget!" As soon as Rukia heard the annoying nickname he had bestowed upon her, she smiled and quickly undid the little clasp that now held the painting in place. She had to use Tatsuki's sword to undo it when she wanted to get in.

As soon as she saw him, she folded her arms across her chest and stared at him with a very dirty look on her face.

"So am I allowed to help now?" She asked sarcastically. Kaien rolled his eyes.

"Sadly, yes. But unfortunately not in the way you would like to," he replied. Rukia realized quickly that it didn't matter how she could help, as long as she could.

"Very well," She said and unsheathed her sword. "What do you need me to do?"

Kaien nodded and turned around. Without another word, Rukia followed him.

She had no idea where they were going, but they snuck past the rooms where she could hear the shouting and dying of men and drifted past the most silent rooms. They never entered any of them though. Not until they reached the door that lead to the path leading to the stables. Rukia stopped.

"Where are we going?" She asked cautiously. Kaien turned around and sheathed his sword momentarily. Taking her by the shoulders, he looked into her eyes.

"We are leaving-'' he started, but was not able to finish. The door swung open and one of the scariest looking men Rukia had ever seen, entered. She also knew for a fact that this man was not their friend. Rukia was on the floor in a moment, as Kaien shoved her to the side and pulled out his sword.

A sudden, sharp pain blossomed on Rukia's head and she realized, too late that she had hit her head hard against the wall when the King had pushed her. The world faded and she listened to the clashing of swords and a yell of pain which she could not identify. She just hoped that her king was alright.

* * *

The man was big, but he fell easily. There was little blood, but a very loud scream, which Ichigo could only guess would send many knights from both sides to their location.

Ichigo turned to Rukia, holding out his hand, but withdrew it just as quickly. Rukia was lying on the floor, unconscious. The knight swore and knelt down to pick her up. She wasn't heavy in the least, so he tucked her in his right arm and hooked his arm under her knees. He did not sheath his sword again. He knew that carrying her was a liability, but he had no choice. She would be safe, and he would make sure of that. He rushed outside and down the path to the stables. He knew there would be no time to saddle up two horses, so one would have to do.

As soon as Ichigo entered the wooden stable, the horses whinnied. They were not happy and they could tell that something wasn't right. Ichigo felt relief wash through him as he saw all the big animals. He knew that the other army had not yet reached the stables. Moving along until he came to Zangetsu's stall, Ichigo untied all the horses and opened the stalls.

Laying Rukia down on the hay, Ichigo stroked Zangetsu, just to reassure him that everything was okay. The horse was restless, but stood perfectly still as his owner saddled him. It went quickly.

In no time, Zangetsu was ready. The pretend king opened the stall and the door to the stables, so they could literally just ride out. Ichigo looked at Rukia confused. He had no idea how to get her on the horse without her falling off. When the idea came to him, though, he moved at a rapid pace. He cut some of the rope that had been hung on the wall, and picked her up. Struggling a bit, he got onto the horse and put Rukia behind him, her legs draped over each side. He then proceeded to loop the rope around them so she was sitting up against him if she woke up. She would not fall off and he would be able to make sure she was still there. He was aware that her arms would flail and might get hurt if Zangetsu sped up, so he tied her hands together, loosely in front of his stomach. For good measure, he also tied her legs against his.

When he felt secure enough about the fact that she would not fall off or hurt herself, Ichigo clicked his tongue and Zangetsu moved. Soon, they were heading out of the stables. Ichigo did not know where to head. He clicked his tongue twice and Zangetsu started running. Ichigo led him down a path into the forest, and he did not look back to see if they were being followed. He just kept his horse on track and moved to wherever the path might take them.

* * *

**Right, so it was longer than usual… Just to say how sorry I am once again! I hope this chapter didn't disappoint. I was going to put much more in it, but then I realized; where is the fun in that? You'll have to wait and see when Rukia finally finds out, how she finds out and what she does about it. Oh and you'll have to wait a little longer for the kiss. ;) Rukia and Ichigo can never bond for long enough right? :P**

**Right, so first, thank you to: **_**MugetsuIchigo, darklover (as usual, she rocks!), oshii-enma, SluggerGirl18, Cambria-Aire, MurderedByAMarionette, Xavier, chuela7795, skatingandcruzing, snag42, AnimeLover123 and Guest. **_**As usual you are the ones who keep me motivated! Oh and then a special thanks to Draven Nighthawk who sent me PM's of encouragement! Hehe, It really means a lot to me!**

**Okay, so yeah, it was a special request from Xavier to let you guys know why it took so long for me to update. I don't want to bore you with sad or happy soppy stories, so I'll summarize my life this past year for you guys in a paragraph. **

**I needed to do some emotional growing. I had a very hard time in my personal life and stuff, so I just needed to learn some valuable life lessons. Life decided that I need to get slapped in the face by karma countless times. I had a very serious case of writers' block, thanks to the two abovementioned reasons for not updating. We have been building, and the entire house has been such a mess that it is hard to do pretty much anything. School had me tied to a post with all the work the teachers had decided to thrust upon me. I have watched numerous series when I should have just written. I don't have any more excuses. **

**My life has just been hell. But I apologize for losing focus, because this is where I want my focus to be. It is back now, and my writing channels have opened once again. THUS, I am back! **

**Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! It would really mean a lot to me if you guys let me know what you thought. PLEASE AND THANK YOU! **

**xxxxxxxxx **


	15. Two Steps Behind

**Hello everyone! **

**Happy new year! (It's the 31****st****, so I'm still allowed to say that!)**

**Sorry, once again for taking so long. Here is the beta read version! :P**

******VERY IMPORTANT: Is there anyone who would like to draw me a picture to put up as this story cover? :D Please!? Let me know if anyone is willing! :D**

**The rest of the author's note is at the end! :P Enjoy chapter 15!**

**Beta Reader: Abarai Starsha (Who lights up this story btw! Thank you so much!)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or any of the characters in the show. **

**Take the time to think about it  
Walk the line, you know you just can't fight it  
Take a look around, you'll see what you can find  
Like the fire that's burnin' up inside me  
And there's a magic running through your soul  
But you can't have it all, no**

**Whatever you do - I'll be two steps behind you**  
**Wherever you go - and I'll be there to remind you**  
**That it only takes a minute of your precious time**  
**To turn around, I'll be two steps behind…**

**~Two Steps Behind, by Def Leppard**

* * *

**Chapter 15 – Two Steps Behind**

Ichigo could feel Rukia's body slumped against his back. He had no idea how long they had been riding, but it wasn't nearly long enough. All the turns through the trees and the rushing wind on his face made him feel alive and he wanted to laugh aloud. He was aware of the very aching fact that they had packed absolutely no supplies whatsoever and the thought made him cringe. He also felt like he couldn't care less. He didn't have enough mental energy left to worry about it at that moment. He wanted to only feel the horse underneath him, and the fresh air in his hair.

He had no idea how long Rukia would be unconscious, and he felt horrible about the bump against the wall, but he somehow knew that she was going to be okay.

For a second, Ichigo could swear he heard another pair of hooves on the leaves behind them, but a quick look proved that there was nothing there. Just to be safe, he turned again, and leaned into Zangetsu, urging the horse to go a bit faster. How the animal dodged the trees was beyond his comprehension. The forest wasn't exactly a straight path, but the horse seemed to just fly through it. Ichigo turned Zangetsu again, running another way. He made sure to keep the castle behind him, but other than that he zigzagged through the trees, making sure they weren't being followed. His sword annoyed him a bit as it dug into his side. He had accidentally tied it to his body with the rope which secured Rukia. The lady's sword was sheathed and sat securely on her hip. It was not going anywhere.

Not long after that, he felt Rukia's hands wriggle, as her head lifted away from his back. It only occurred to him that she was not going to be happy with her current situation. His eyebrows pulled together even more and he turned his head to see if she was alright. Her eyes were still half closed, which brought on the idea to stop and untie her.

* * *

Rukia was moving, and she was moving quite fast. She could feel the uneven but smooth gallop of a horse's hooves and cool air rushing by. Her head was spinning, but as she started opening her eyes, her head slowed down. She wanted to put her hand to her forehead, but her wrists seemed to be stuck together. As she came to the realization that she can't move most of her limbs as freely as she would've liked, her head cleared up quicker. The horse under her slowed down, and when they were standing completely still, Rukia was fully conscious again.

In front of her, orange hair and tall as ever, sat the king. She could feel him fiddling with something by her wrist, which made her pull her hands apart in confusion.

"What the hell are you doing?" She yelled at him. It was then that she saw the rope around her body and her feet.

"Rukia, shut up and hold still. I can't do anything if you keep resisting," Ichigo chided. Rukia relaxed her hands and allowed him to untie the rope. She wasn't happy in the least though, and she would make sure that Kaien knew that. As soon as she felt the rope around her hands loosen, she pulled them away and searched for the knot in the rope around her body; the one which held their body's together…tightly. She wanted to move her body away from his, as hers was drenched in weird feelings again. The knots to her misfortune, was in front of Kaien's chest and not close enough for her to see. She sighed audibly and she could've sworn that she heard the king laugh. She slapped him on his back and huffed.

"Hurry up, fool," She said and rolled her eyes.

"Yes, yes. Stop being so impatient, Midget," He replied as the rope released its hold on the couple. Rukia clicked her tongue at the imbecile in front of her as she reached down to untie her one foot herself. She felt Kaien's hands on her ankle, untying the last rope.

As soon as she was free, Rukia shoved herself away from the king before her resolve faltered and she stayed there, holding on to him. Kaien jumped off his horse and held his hand out for Rukia to take. She ignored it and swung her leg over the horse, not expecting to be so high up. Shirayuki wasn't nearly as tall as the king's horse. Her feet hit the ground and her head started spinning again. Kaien's hand found her arm and held her steady. Nausea toiled in her stomach as she tried to look around at where they were. For a few seconds she could feel the bile rising up in her throat, but she forced it back down and urged her mind to clear up. It didn't work as well as she hoped it would.

"Are you alright?" Kaien asked her, genuine concern laced onto his face. Rukia remembered exactly what happened right before she passed out, and that made her glare at the man who was standing in front of her. She pointed at him and narrowed her eyes.

"You… Little…" She couldn't voice what she really wanted to say. Somehow she knew he didn't shove her on purpose. Her shoulders dropped and she scrunched her face. Kaien's eyebrows shot up questioningly. "Urg, fine. Where are we?" She asked instead, looking up at him. He blinked at her, confused about why she didn't yell at him for hitting her head against the wall.

"Somewhere quite a distance away from the castle," he said and put his hand on Zangetsu's neck. Rukia's eyes grew.

"Why the hell would you take me away from the fight? I thought we were going to help! How is this helping anyone?" She yelled, waving her arms dramatically. Like lightning, Kaien's hand flew to her mouth, signally for her to stop yelling. She did not see why she should.

"Rukia, shut up. If there is someone following us, you'll be the one who lured them here," he said, looking into her eyes. She blinked once, and then pulled away.

"Explain to me right now what in the name of the gods are we doing here?" She asked and crossed her hands over her chest.

"Well, seeing as you are the centre of this little war, Midget, without you in Lancaster, don't you think Aizen will retreat? There's nothing left there for him," he explained. It took Rukia a moment for the information to sink in. He was right of course, but she couldn't shake feeling of staying to fight.

"And what if he doesn't retreat?" She asked. Kaien stooped to the ground and picked up a few leaves, rubbing them with his fingers.

"Then we go back and fight," he said and stood up. It made sense, and Rukia knew she would have to adjust, even if it's only for the time being. She didn't want to ask how they were going to find out whether the fighting had stopped. She would talk to him about it later.

"We need to find some water," he said. Rukia obliged and walked the few steps to his horse. She knew she wasn't going to get on there by herself. Kaien grabbed her waist, just like he did that day they went to the ocean, and lifted her onto Zangetsu. It was like his hands left tingling marks on her skin. She shifted herself as far back in the saddle as she could. Kaien put his foot in the stirrup and hoisted himself up, sitting down in front of her. Rukia hesitated to move forward in the saddle, but she knew she would fall off if she tried to sit away from him. Her balance was not that great and her head was still spinning. She was sitting on the edge of the saddle, and the only way to go, was forward. She bit her lip and lifted herself into the seat. As soon as she wrapped her arms around his waist, Kaien took off, leaving Rukia blushing at the comfortable warmth in the place where their bodies were touching.

* * *

Ichigo still had absolutely no idea where they were going, but he kept at it, following the forest, but this time specifically travelling downhill. Even though the slope wasn't that obvious, Ichigo was almost sure it would lead to a water source. From there he could regroup his thoughts.

Darkness seeped into the forest with the sunset before they finally found the stream. It wasn't exactly what the knight had hoped for, but it would have to be enough. He slowed his horse down and found a reasonably dry patch close to the water. He hopped off and held out his hand to Rukia, who ignored it and slid off the horse with confidence. Ichigo rolled his eyes and led Zangetsu to the stream. The sound of the water rushing by calmed the knight down somewhat and he watched as his horse drank his fill.

"So now what, genius?" Rukia asked as she came up behind him. Ichigo couldn't help smiling a bit on the inside.

"Now, we make a fire," he said and shrugged his shoulders. Rukia looked at him with narrowed eyes and sighed.

"What must I do?" She asked and put her hands on her hips.

"Sit right over there, under that tree and pretend you know how to keep quiet," he replied, trying hard not to laugh at the expression that just appeared on Rukia's face. He turned away and walked a bit into the forest, looking for twigs and wood that could be considered relatively dry. He wasn't very successful as he soon realized that the part of the forest in which they currently were, was very moist and the ground was damp. He didn't want Rukia to help. He wouldn't admit it, but he was worried about her. He was concerned about the blow to her head and wasn't sure if she was fully recovered. He didn't want to be too far away from her. He would have to take her with him.

He turned and walked back to her. She had her arms folded over her chest and looked very miffed.

"Fine, Rukia, you can help," He said and sighed. Rukia lifted her eyebrow and nodded, obviously satisfied that she was getting her way. "Let's go." He gestured away from the river and started walking. His back ached from riding for so long, and it felt good to walk. He also wanted to stay as far away from Rukia as physically possible. He needed to cool his emotions and bodily reactions to the raven haired girl.

He explained to Rukia what needed to be done, and without a word, she glued her eyes to the ground, looking for twigs and bigger stumps. Ichigo took the bigger branches and logs, whilst Rukia kept a hold of the smaller ones. They didn't say anything as they searched, walking further from the stream, trying to find something that will actually burn.

By the third trip into the woods, Ichigo estimated that they would only need one more load. Rukia had also started collecting more substantial pieces of wood. Time passed quickly in the dark and when Ichigo looked up to see where Rukia was so they could go back, she was nowhere in sight. Ichigo felt his eyes almost pop out of his skull as he dropped all the wood in his hands and turned around completely looking for the white shirt that Rukia was wearing. He could only see a few metres in from of him and he could make out shadows, but there was no sign of the petit lady.

"Rukia!?" He yelled as loudly as he could. Suddenly it didn't matter in the least that someone might have been following them. "Midget, where are you?" He asked into the darkness.

Somewhere an owl made a deep, haunting sound and Ichigo felt goose bumps rise on his arms. As quickly as he possibly could, he ran back to where Zangetsu was tied to a tree. She wasn't there, and the pit of his stomach hollowed out completely.

He yelled her name into the darkness again and ran back to where he had dropped the wood. He called her again, but there was no answer. He wished he could run in a general direction, but there were trees everywhere. His voice didn't travel very far, oozing into the damp ground and the bark on the trees. Ichigo pulled on his hair, wishing she were right there beside him.

"Rukia, bitch where are you?" He voiced again. He was met by silence. He could feel his resolve breaking. If he couldn't find her and she died out here… He didn't even want to think about it. He shouted her name into the forest again. His breathing hitched as his entire body contracted in complete panic. It felt like his air supply was completely cut off as his eyes frantically searched the shadows.

He ran up and down, without any sign of her. He was about to completely crumble as images of her being eaten by a bear or cold and starving flashed through his mind. He was completely lost. He had no idea what to do. A rustling in the bushes pulled his attention away from the pictures his brain was trying to form. Immediately on the defence, not knowing what animal might possibly be lurking in the shadows, Ichigo unsheathed his sword.

Filled with emotion edging on grief, Ichigo silently walked closer to the sound.

"Ow!" A high pitched voice said, accompanied by the snapping of a twig. Ichigo lowered his sword without thinking about it twice. A second later, Rukia came out of the thicket with a massive branch trailing behind her.

Ichigo's sword hit the ground as he threw it down and literally jumped at Rukia, pulling her out from under the enormous log. As soon as he had a hold of her, he crushed her in a much unexpected embrace. Relief rushed through him as he held onto the woman in his arms. After a few seconds, he felt her arms encircle him in return. Her slight hands on his back were warm and comforting. As quickly as he could, he composed himself again. He could feel his cheeks heating up, and he was glad for the darkness.

"What's this for?" Rukia's voice softly travelled up to his ears. She was slightly muffled as her face was squashed against his chest. Ichigo let go of her and took a step back, shoving his emotions into the jar he keeps in the back of his head.

"Idiot Midget. Don't run off like that. If I lose you I might as well kill myself," he said, and realized too late, how exactly his words had come out. His mind grasped for an excuse, but the damage had been done, and Rukia was looking at him with a new expression. Ichigo turned away quickly and picked up the stump she had brought with her. He didn't have anything else to say.

Rukia cleared her throat as Ichigo went down on his haunches and cleared a patch of ground to build the fire on. He didn't look at her, knowing that she didn't have anything to say to him. The two closest rocks Ichigo could find, would serve as flint to light the fire. He wiped them dry on a part of his shirt and tried to start the fire the best way he knew how. After quite a few failed attempts, Ichigo plopped onto the ground and threw the rocks to the side in frustration. He looked up at where Rukia was standing with her arms folded around her. He cursed the rocks, annoyed with himself. He stood up and walked over to Zangetsu. He unsaddled his horse and shook out the blanket which he put the saddle on. He then walked up to Rukia and put the blanket around her shoulders. She smiled up at him briefly then nodded and sat down on the ground.

It was at that moment that Ichigo remembered the sachet his King gave him. He sat down next to Rukia, untied the string on which the little bag hung and opened it carefully. He stuck his thumb and index finger into the opening and felt that the bag was full of powder. Puzzled, Ichigo dug around a little more and felt a tiny, folded piece of paper. He pulled it out and opened it. He read it once, twice, and again, just to make sure he didn't miss anything.

"What is it?" Rukia asked him and reached for the paper. Ichigo hesitated before handing it over. The note read:

_I am what you need._

_I shall be what you seek._

_Try me now and you won't be seen as weak._

_If I am finished,_

_Doom and misfortune will make your world bleak. _

_No, seriously. Don't use all of it. _

_-Urahara_

Ichigo had no idea what to do with the powder, but he decided that if what the crazy old man wrote is true, then this powder could basically be anything. It could do anything. Ichigo hesitated, but took out a pinch of the powder and walked over to the fire. He sprinkled the little bit he held between his fingers onto the wood, and held his breath. Nothing happened. Ichigo cursed and walked to where Zangetsu was standing. He didn't want to admit that he was absolutely helpless. He didn't know what to do. He buried his head in his horse's neck and tried to think.

"Uhm, Kaien?" Rukia's voice spoke behind him. He turned towards her and what he saw almost made him jump in surprise. The forest behind him was glowing. Bright yellow light bounced off the trees and made the woods seem alive in a beautiful way.

"Handy," Ichigo breathed and looked at the sachet in his hand. Rukia was smiling, and for once she actually seemed delighted. Ichigo also felt very giddy and relived that something was actually going right for once. He walked back to the fire and sat down once again.

* * *

Rukia didn't know what it was, but something about fire intrigued her. It always had. It was a sort of beauty that one could only truly see in the dancing of flames.

"So now what?" She asked, not looking up from the fire.

"Get some rest," Kaien replied, and Rukia could hear the care in his voice. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes and tell him that she was not tired, but she was. There was a fair distance between the King of Camelot and the Lady of Lancaster, but Rukia didn't let that stop her. With the blanket still around her shoulders, she moved closer to Kaien and cozied up next to him. She didn't touch him though, just laid close to him. She didn't feel the breeze with the blanket he had put around her, but she wanted to be near him. As soon as she closed her eyes, sleep took over and on the leaves of that forest floor, Rukia slept like a baby.

* * *

Gin could see the fire from where he was standing, hiding in a tree a few metres from where the Lady Rukia was sleeping, next to the man who claimed to be the King of Camelot. A wide smile spread across the face of the man with the silver hair as he made himself comfortable for the night. He watched the scene in front of the fire, never looking away. He smiled all night long.

* * *

he next morning, as soon as the Lady Rukia's disappearance was made public, Aizen's men retreated. It gave both armies a chance to tend to their wounded and check for survivors. Those who walked past one another on the battlefield in these moments didn't even glance at each other.

Kaien grabbed at the chance to get all the women out of the castle and into the woods where the knights could guard them. He didn't want to take the risk. Even without the Lady of Lancaster there, it was a great risk to keep them in the castle. Byakuya considered women weak and short on their usefulness. A view Kaien didn't share. Thankfully they were able to put their differences aside and work together to protect Lancaster. It wasn't long before all the women were safely hidden in the forest and the Count's mind was slightly more at ease.

"Kisuke," Kaien spoke as the man appeared from the direction of one of the outer villages. He was sent to make sure that there had been no attacks on the people of Lancaster. Thankfully there hadn't. Urahara made a small bow after the update and the king spoke again.

"I need you to send Ichigo some provisions," Kaien said as he walked with Urahara. He knew the knight left as soon as he could get Rukia out of the castle. There had been no time to gather any supplies. He didn't doubt that Ichigo would make the best of the situation, but he wanted to make it easier for the knight.

"Yes, my Lord. What do you wish to send them?" Urahara asked with a smirk. Kaien knew that the warlock thought something was funny, but he ignored it and told Urahara what he wanted him to send. It included a cloak for each of them, as well as some clean water and bread. It was the essentials, and Kaien realized that it would not last very long. He then decided that he would send food and water again in three days' time.

Kisuke disappeared to send the things to Ichigo. Making use of the peace and quiet around the castle, the magician first found his wife. Together, they gathered what they needed. Yoruichi disappeared to Ichigo and Rukia's separate chambers. Urahara found a water-skin and the bread in the kitchen, stepping over dead bodies on his way there and back. As soon as they had everything, Urahara set to work on the cloaks. Soon, both cloaks were lined with Urahara's magic, making them warm when the air outside was cold, and as thin as silk when the temperature proved too hot. He bundled the bread and water up inside the cloaks and walked into the forest alone. Yoruichi went back to where she could help with the wounded. No one knew where he was going, but a few moments later, a big owl swooped into the air, carrying a small bundle in its claws.

Kisuke took his place next to the King of Camelot not long after that. He watched with Kaien as the knights who were still in good shape dragged the dead into the clearing in front of the castle. Fires were lit, and a small ceremony was held in honour of those who had served Lancaster with honour and loyalty.

It pained the king to see grief in the faces of so many people. He wished there was some way to ease their pain. One woman disrupted the mourning atmosphere as she shrieked in grief and almost threw herself into the flames, wanting to join her loved one. The king looked down and said a small prayer. Then he turned and walked to where the injured were being tended too. Without a thought, he sat down on one of the beds and thanked the knight for all he had done. One by one, those who fought on their side were thanked and reassured.

To anyone looking in on the scene, a handsome king had just earned the respect of an entire army.

* * *

The fire burned through the night, and was still going strong by the time Ichigo opened his eyes. The knight had tried to stay awake, but sleep had also consumed him. There was no sign of any change, so Ichigo was fairly certain that they were safe. Rukia was still sleeping soundly, and when Ichigo looked down at her, he was surprised to see that she was still curled up next to him, her head resting on the bend of her elbow. Ichigo smiled at the little furrow between her eyebrows. He sat up and accidentally bumped her. Rukia slowly opened her eyes.

"Ah, good morning Midget," Ichigo said and stood up, stretching his arms. Rukia blinked a few times, seemingly trying to remember where she was.

"Oh, good morning," she replied as soon as she had wiped the sleep from her eyes. Ichigo walked over to Zangetsu and after making sure that his horse was still alright, he walked back to Rukia. By then she was fully awake and was folding the blanket so that the horse could be saddled.

"So, do we have a plan?" Rukia asked as she watched him work. Ichigo sighed and paused.

"I'm working on it," he said and continued with what he was doing. Ichigo could swear he saw Rukia rolling her eyes slightly. He was about to give her another piece of his mind when a very eerie sound reached his ears. His eyes searched the trees for the source. Rukia heard it too, as she was standing very still. When the sound came again, Ichigo knew it was an owl. It was strange to hear one during the day, and holding his hand on the hilt of his sword, he walked in the direction of the sound. The bird was not visible in any of the trees nearby although he didn't have to go very far. Ichigo spotted the owl on a branch near eye level. He was looking at Ichigo with a tilted head. Ichigo's eyebrows shot up as he too, tilted his head, confused at the owl's behaviour. It was as if the bird was trying to tell him something. It started to bob its head. Ichigo looked around, still not quite sure what was going on. When his eyes caught the flash of red on the ground, he was even more confused. Cautiously, he walked up to the bundle directly below the owl. The animal did not move, and Ichigo untied the knot with which the bundle was held together. When he saw the contents, he looked up at the owl and nodded to it. He did not know if the bird could understand him, but he didn't care.

"Kaien? What on earth…" Rukia voiced as he stepped out in front of her again. Ichigo handed her a dark violet cloak. She looked at it in confusion then turned her eyes towards him, waiting for an answer.

"I think we have some help," he said and put the bread in and the water down on a rock. He put his own cloak on, and immediately the material warmed to his body temperature. Ichigo smiled and Rukia gasped as she too threw the cloak over her shoulders. Her cloak had a hood, but she left it down. The purple made Rukia's eyes stand out. She did look quite strange with breeches, boots, a cotton shirt, a sword and a royal purple cloak, but he did not dwell on the details and instead felt grateful that they had help.

"Alright, I have thought of a plan," Ichigo said as he broke off two pieces of bread, handing one to Rukia. She took it, and broke off a smaller piece. Ichigo knew she was not used to dry bread. Rukia did not say a word, and ate it without hesitation. Ichigo admired her for her maturity. He would have not guessed that she was a princess if he had met her on the streets.

"Yes? What is your plan?" She asked between bites.

"We'll travel next to the river, going down. Perhaps we'll find a lake," he said and put the last piece of bread in his mouth. Rukia nodded and dusted the crumbs off her fingers.

"Then we better get going," Rukia said as she turned towards the fire. Ichigo was getting ready to put it out when he saw that it already was. As he inspected it, it looked like it had been out for a long time. He looked at Rukia who had the same puzzled expression. They both knew it was still blazing not moments before. Ichigo scratched the back of his head and pulled his shoulders up. He had no idea how it happened, but he did not want to break his brow thinking about it. He tied the water-skin and cloth with the bread to the saddle, after which he lifted himself into the saddle, securing his position on the horse. He offered her his hand and easily pulled her up onto the horse. As soon as they were comfortable enough, Rukia wrapped her arms around Ichigo. The knight kicked his horse lightly and clicked his tongue.

* * *

They followed the river all day long. They hardly stopped, only to drink some water and to allow Kaien's horse to catch its breath. Rukia didn't want to admit it, but she was actually enjoying being alone with the king. Throughout the day, she never once felt that she should stay as far away from him as she could. After a while she rested her head against his back and closed her eyes. She could smell him through the cloak and she liked it. Just as the sun started to go down, Kaien stopped and helped Rukia off the horse.

"Are you alright?" He asked as she stood up straight. Rukia did not want to admit that she hurt between the legs. She was not used to riding all day, never mind ride all day in breeches. The leather was soft against her skin, but it was quite tight and it rubbed against the inside of her thighs. She nodded and smiled at the king.

"I'm fine, thank you," She said and walked around a bit. Her legs needed to function again. The river had become wider, and Rukia guessed that they weren't very far from a lake. She was grateful that they had stopped though. She wasn't sure if she would have been able to continue for much longer without crying. She realized that she was walking funny, and immediately tried to hide it. The walking didn't help the raw skin being scraped by the soft leather. She would have to ride side saddle tomorrow. She then understood why women ride side saddle. Her body was aching all over. She knew she was going to sleep well, whether she slept on the ground or not.

"Here," Kaien said and handed her the water. Rukia chugged it down in the most delicate way she possibly could. The king smiled at her as she handed the skin back to him. Once again, he set out to find wood. This time though, he gave her extensive instructions to stay right where she was. She did so with pleasure, not wanting to feel the burn between her legs scraping against the breeches.

Rukia sat down next to Zangetsu on a large log. A cool breeze blew over the water and touched the Lady of Lancaster's face. She pulled her hood up and felt how the material warmed up. Rukia still had Tatsuki's sword and now she sat with her hand on the hilt of that sword. She became very aware of her surroundings. Leaves rustled and birds called. The sounds were eerie when she was alone, and she started hoping that Kaien would hurry up.

He came back with one load of wood and started clearing a space for it.

"Don't we need some more? Won't we have to keep the fire going?" Rukia asked. Kaien shook his head and untied the string around the little sachet. Rukia looked at it, and at that moment realized that the powder was what kept the fire going. It burns out the next morning; when they aren't in need of it any more. Rukia nodded and sat down to help pack the wood on the ground. Kaien then took out a pinch of the powder, which Rukia could now see was a bright orange colour, and sprinkled it onto the wood. Soon enough and sure enough flames leapt out of the wood. Rukia smiled. The king quickly unsaddled his horse. This time he brought the blanket and threw it out on the ground for them to sit on. They ate some more of the bread and drank some more water, then sat and looked at the fire. They sat close together but never touched. Rukia also noticed that it was not her doing. She didn't mind his arm scraping hers every so often, but he kept moving away. She was not cold, but she felt slightly alone. At that moment Rukia realized that she couldn't take it anymore.

"I don't understand you Kaien," she blurted. He looked at her questioningly, obviously not expecting the statement.

"Is that a good thing?" He asked and she shook her head. She was frustrated with him, and with the fact that he says things but doesn't act upon them.

"We are going to get married, correct?" Rukia asked. Kaien did not answer and switched his gaze to the flames. "Then why do you pretend that getting closer to me is such a sin?" Kaien looked her in the eye and sighed. Rukia narrowed her eyes. It hurt her a bit that his man was staying so far from her emotionally as well as physically.

"You won't understand…" He started, but was cut off by Rukia closing the distance between them. She now sat with her arm tightly against his.

* * *

Ichigo did not know what to do. He did not want to tell her who he was. He was scared of what might happen. He also did not want to admit that if he were to keep grazing her arm with his, it wouldn't be long before he would be holding her. After that he wouldn't be able to help himself. He wouldn't let go and he would kiss her. He wanted to kiss her. He was scared of his attraction to her, and he wouldn't be able to resist her.

Ichigo could see that this petit lady was very determined. He did not know how to respond to her. His loyalty to his king lay in front of him as big as a mountain. There was no doubt how he felt about this beautiful girl in front of him, but there was also no doubt what the best thing to do was. He felt he needed to stay away from her and make sure that it didn't go too far. A part of his mind chided him, and told him that it didn't really matter. He was long past the point of no return. He felt too much for Rukia and she too much for him. There was no way this was going to turn out good. With that new thought, Ichigo looked at Rukia in a different light. Perhaps it would not be so horrible if she knew the truth. Perhaps some greater force wanted something to happen between them.

"Kaien?" Rukia asked, her one eyebrow higher on her forehead than the other. Ichigo blinked and a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips. He pulled his arm out from between them and hesitantly put it around her shoulders. Rukia's eyes closed slowly, her mouth shaping a smile. Ichigo too closed his eyes, but only briefly. When he opened them again, Rukia was looking at him.

"What?" He asked.

"You're so handsome," she replied. Ichigo's eyebrows furrowed. It was a natural reaction and it made Rukia purse her lips. She brought her finger up and smoothed the crease between his eyebrows. "Not when you do that," she said, and Ichigo tried to keep his forehead smooth. This made Rukia smile.

"You're trying too hard," she told him and giggled as his eyebrows just pulled together again.

"Oh really?" He asked as his fingers found her side and tickled her.

"No! Stop it!" She gasped, trying not to laugh. It failed, and the stern little Lady of Lancaster burst into a fit of giggles.

"Fool!" Rukia yelled between laughs. This made Ichigo smile.

"Idiot Midget," he said and stopped tickling her. A soon as he gave her a chance to breathe, Rukia tackled him to the ground.  
"Don't tickle me," she warned and pointed at his face with her index finger. Ichigo had a hard time focusing on what she was saying as his breeches had become uncomfortably tight. Rukia was sitting on his stomach and held his arms above his head. He knew he would not have any trouble getting out of her grip, but he couldn't think. His mind became less and less clear as she lowered her face to his.

A hundred thoughts seemed to run through his head that second before she kissed him. Some of which involved Rukia sitting as was right now, without any clothes on. Many of the thoughts circled around Kaien, and what would happen after this, but most of what was going on in the young knight's head was Rukia. How strong she was and how brave she had been and surely will be again. The one thing that stood out above the rest was the thought of how in love he was with her and how far he would go for her happiness.

When her lips touched his, his mind was wiped. He could not think of anything else other than how she made him feel and how perfect it was. Her lips were small, but fit on his perfectly. Her mouth was warm and her breath tickled his top lip. His stomach made a strange turn as she moved her lips, lightly pinching his bottom lip between hers. Ichigo didn't hesitate, and kissed her back. Before he knew it, Ichigo had his fingers in her hair and her hands rested on his chest. The world disappeared and he was consumed by the taste of her on the tip of his tongue, as he slowly traced the curve of her bottom lip with it. He could feel her smile as she put her hand on the side of his face. Her entire body was warm and his blood was buzzing through his veins. He wanted her closer to him, and as he felt her smile in the kiss, he knew that anything was possible. Without removing his lips from hers, he sat up, which made Rukia fall into his lap easily. Her hands were in his hair, and his were flat on her back, pulling her even closer than she already was.

The kiss was soft, gentle and playful. And for longer than either of them could remember, they sat there, enjoying something as simple as a kiss, the world completely forgotten. Ichigo was sure that Rukia felt the same buzz between them, the urge to rip at each other's clothes filling the space between them like a blazing fire. Ichigo did not allow that, as he reigned in his emotions. He had stepped over a very important line and he was not going to take advantage of that. He smiled against her lips and pulled away slowly. Rukia's eyes fluttered open, and red blossomed on her cheeks.

As soon as their lips weren't touching anymore, reality crashed down on him.

"I have to tell you something," Ichigo blurted before his brain could catch up. Rukia nodded and tucked a strand of her ear behind her ear.

The orange haired knight cursed himself as he looked at Rukia. He was not right for this woman. He was only a knight, and she was to be queen. For the briefest moment though, Ichigo could crush his feelings and think straight. He could not tell her now. It would ruin the most perfect moment.

"What is it?" Rukia asked and wiped some of his hair out of his eyes.

"I'll tell you tomorrow…" He said and quickly kissed her again. It might be the only moment he will ever get with her.

At first, she looked puzzled, but then she nodded.

They quarrelled playfully for the rest of the evening, kissing every so often. Ichigo remembered thinking that he will always be there for this lady. He would protect her and shield her and keep her safe. He would always watch over her, even if it meant that he would be doing so from a distance. He smiled as he buried his face in her hair. He did not want to think of the next morning, when she would inquire as to what it was that he had wanted to tell her. Ichigo closed his eyes and shut his mind off. He did not want to think of anything but her.

When he fell asleep, he was smiling, his heart full of Rukia and her kisses.

* * *

**I think this is one of the first chapters without a bit of a cliff-hanger! I hope you guys liked it! I decided to turn the story around a bit, so ta da! There you have the long awaited kiss. I'm still deciding whether to do a lemon, but let me know what you guys think?**

**A big thanks to everyone who reviewed: **_**NieveDrop**__**,**_ _**AnimeLover123,**_ _**darklover,ChApPyLoVe3, JadeEyes11, Nighttime Mystery, RukiaDeathberry,NagiNaginee, **_**and **_**MurderedByAMarionette.**_ **You guys honestly make my life! :D Thank you! And a big thank you to everyone who favourite me or this story or followed this story! You guys are crazy wonderful!**

**Please guys read and review! I am very open to suggestions or improvements in my story… I have been watching Merlin (and am addicted to it) and I am now up to speed on everything medieval. Please let me know if there is anything you would like me to know! Send me a PM if it is related to a possible twist in the tale. I want you guys to contribute and I want to produe the best story I possibly can! :D**

**PLEASE REVIEW! **

**Oodles of love! xoxoxoxox**

**Ps. Please remember to let me know if there is anyone who could draw or create a cover picture for my story! I would really appreciate it! :D**


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